Forget the craziness around Covid-19 for one second and let’s talk about broader emergency situations or disasters that can arise. Every year there are between40-60 natural disasters in the United States, forest fires and related power outages have ravaged California for most of the end of 2019 and early 2020. Yet there’s no reason to remain hopeless or scared during these type of uncommon emergency situations. According to NIH (National Institutes of Health) website, here are some helpful tips to stay prepared for a disaster:
Prepare With At Least Three Days Worth Of Supplies
This may seem intuitive, but NIH recommends that you have at least three days worth of “non perishable food, water, a working flashlight, a portable, battery-operated radio or television, batteries, medicines, anti-bacterial hand wipes or gel, first aid kit, money, seasonal clothing, and sanitation supplies.”
While I am happy to report that I now have all of those, it wasn’t always the case. If you have been stocking up on stuff then you may only need a few things, but otherwise you should consider a fully prepared bulk survival kit from a survival gear store like Outbreak Provisions.
Four-Person 72 Hour Emergency Prep Kit(Photo via Outbreak)
Outbreak Provisions has plenty of 72 hour survival kits that include the bulk of what the NIH recommends and come pre-prepared deponding on family size, meaning whether your family has 2 people or 10 people…you can be sure you have enough supplies!
Once you have a survival kit and are prepared with supplies, what should you do?NIH recommends the following:
“Conduct practice drills so you and your family know the safe locations in your home for each type of emergency. Decide how and where your family will reunite if separated.”
“Choose an out-of-state friend or relative that separated family members can call to report their whereabouts and conditions.”
“Learn first aid and CPR from your local Red Cross chapter or other community organizations.”
Learning first aid is important and refreshing your skills during times of uncertainty should be one of your first courses of action (see:https://dailycaller.com/2020/03/22/need-a-first-aid-refresher)
Disaster In Progress
(Photo via Unsplash)
Now what should you do if a disaster is already in progress? For one, you should make sure you have access to the latest up to date news and directions of local officials whether over radio, your phone, or other sources.
After that, it deponds on the disaster but during a natural disaster of time permits NIH, recommends the following:
- Unplug appliances; turn off electricity, gas, and main water valve. (Safety note: do not attempt to re-light the gas pilot. Call the utility company.)
- If time permits, elevate or move furniture to upper floors.
- Tell someone outside of storm area where you are going.
- Lock home and leave.
If information leads you to below that instead of evacuating, sheltering in place is the best course of action, be sure to stay away from windows, glass doors, and other easily breakable fixtures, and if power is lost turn off major appliances to prevent circuiting issues if/when power is restored.
What Should You Do After A Disaster?
(Photo via Unsplash)
This may seem obvious but if you have survived an immediate disaster situation you should relax and stay calm and start to assess damages. The stress of the situation may weigh on you or your family for an undetermined amount of time, and staying calm and together may be beneficial in helping slowly bring things back together.
For more resources on what to do before, during, and after a disaster please consult the NIH website yourself at:www.NIH.Gov
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