Creating a Family Disaster Plan
Preventing the loss of life and minimizing the damage to property from hurricanes are responsibilities that are shared by all. The most important thing that you can do is to be informed and prepared. Disaster prevention includes both being prepared as well as reducing damages.
Developing a Plan
- Discuss the type of hazards that could affect your family. Know your home's vulnerability to storm surge, flooding, and wind.
- Locate a safe room or the safest areas in your home. This room should have no windows, and be an interior room.
- Determine escape routes from your home and places to meet. These should be measured in tens of miles rather than hundreds of miles.
- Have an out-of-state friend as a family contact so all your family members have a single point of contact.
- Make a plan now for what to do with your pets if you need to evacuate.
- Post emergency telephone numbers by your phones and make sure your children know how and when to call 911.
- Check your insurance coverage - flood damage is not usually covered by homeowners insurance.
- Stock non-perishable emergency supplies and a Disaster Supply Kit.
- Use an NOAA weather radio. Remember to replace its battery every 6 months as you do with your smoke detectors.
- Download a helpful app like the American Red Cross Hurricane App it's free. With this app, you can select a safe meeting point for your evacuation location, pick a route and share it with your family. It also has tools and information for staying safe before and after a storm hits. Hurricane American Red Cross for APPLE. Hurricane American Red Cross for ANDROID.
