Practically everyone remembers 9/11. You likely remember where you were, what you were doing and how you felt as you watched the news. One of the responses to the day was that the Federal Emergency Management Agency declared September as National Emergency Preparedness Month. But how do you prepare for a national crisis such as a terrorist attack, hurricane or earthquake? FEMA has put together multiple resources to help you and your family be prepared as much as possible.
If you didn’t have your smartphone, how would you contact your spouse or significant other? Do you know the number? Most people don’t memorize phone numbers like they did years ago because we rely on our phones so much. If the grid goes down, we lose the ability to reach out to those we love. This isn’t to say that you shouldn’t use technology, but you should have a plan that reaches beyond the boundaries of technology.
Recommendations for Being Prepared
FEMA has a mobile app for both Android and iPhone devices that can be downloaded to get information about disaster preparedness. With the app, you have the ability to receive weather alerts for up to five locations. If your parents live in another town, it’s important to know what’s happening there too. The app offers tips and ideas for preparing your family.
One key element of any plan is that you and your loved ones have a communication plan. What does everyone do in case of a tornado, fire or other disaster? Here are some things you should consider:
- Pick a meeting place that is safe, accessible and familiar. Choose one in your neighborhood and one outside of your neighborhood.
- Know where the safe places are in your community, and know which schools and churches will open their doors when there is a disaster.
- Don’t forget to think about your pets when making plans.
- Share information. Make a sheet of paper with everyone’s important contact information. Put it in a child’s backpack so he or she always has mom and dad’s phone numbers and those of one or two relatives or close friends for backup.
- Gather information about doctors and medications that are vital to your family.
- Build a household emergency kit with flashlights, water, a manual can opener, local maps, a first aid kit, sanitizer, wipes, garbage bags, and non-perishable food. Consider having a battery-operated radio with extra batteries to get information and news.
Families often have to tailor a plan for their own needs. What your emergency plan consists of will depend on the age of your children and where you live. If you have older children who are away at school, your plan will look much different than someone with babies and toddlers. Although tornadoes and hurricanes cause similar damage, you might be forced to evacuate your home for many days if a hurricane is expected. Consider the risks in your own community.
Society Is Not Prepared
According to a survey from FEMA just last year, only about 39 percent of Americans are prepared for a disaster even though almost 80 percent of people live in an area that has been involved in a weather–related disaster. Consider the tornadoes that ripped through Oklahoma and Missouri, causing hundreds of people to lose their homes. Family members went missing for days in some cases. During Katrina, the hurricane that struck New Orleans in 2005, people were forced out of the city.
We can’t predict every disaster, but we do have more technology at our fingertips to help us know when a hurricane will strike. Pay attention to the weather reports in your community. Be ready in the event of a disaster, whether it’s man-made or natural. Take advantage of the resources available to you to protect your family and take care of those in your community who are vulnerable.