Disaster preparednessTop 5 critical hurricane preparedness actions

Report offers hurricane preparedness suggestions // Source: nsf.gov

The National Center for Disaster Preparedness (NCDP) at Columbia University reminds Americans that hurricane preparedness lasts all season — from June to November — and that emergency preparedness is a year-round proposition, because emergencies do not have a season.

The NCDP offers these five critical actions to increase the ability of people to survive a disaster and reduce the effects of any disaster or emergency.

Action 1: Know your risks

• Identify risksto you and your family at home, work, and school.
• Stay informed. Sign up for alerts and updates from local emergency management agencies.

Action 2: Assure safe water and food supplies for at least three days

• You must have one gallon of safe drinking water per person, per day, including pets. Without water a person will die in just a few days, children and pets sooner. Check out FEMA’s Family Disaster Supplies Kit Checklist.
• Stocknon-perishable foods that do not need a lot of water or heat to prepare.
• Remember to replace your safe drinking water stockpile every 6 months.

Action 3: Protect yourself and your family

• For home: Assemble a home emergency supplies kit.
• For evacuation: Assemble a “go-kit.” Include: important documents, health records, home, car, and health insurance policies, and photographs of important personal property on a CD or thumb drive for your emergency kits. Know evacuation routes.
• Plan for elderly and special needs members of your family. Additional planning may be required for people with disabilities and other access or functional needs.
• Stockpilenecessary medications and items for anyone in the family who has special needs — medical, developmental, or physical.

Action 4: Communicate with your family

• You need a communication plan (how your family will communicate and survive during an emergency). Check out our Family Disaster Plan!
• Every family membermust be included in the planning phase and must know the Communication Plan (include: emergency contact information and numbers, and choose a meet-up place in case you are separated.

Action 5: Engage with your community

• Government officials tell us “Plan to be on your own for seventy-two hours”. You and your neighbors may not have access to emergency services immediately after a disaster.
• Know your neighborsbefore an emergency, especially those who may need special assistance. Volunteer with Community Emergency Response Teams, Medical Reserve Corps, and Red Cross.
• Volunteer with CERT teams or Red Cross or your local Emergency Management Office.
• Plan ahead!

NCDP planning tools for your family
The National Center for Disaster Preparedness (NCDP) has developed a tool called the Preparedness Wizard to enable people and their families to be fully prepared, based on their specific needs. Access the Preparedness Wizard.