April 21, 2017
By: Chelsea Haley, DKI Ventures, LLC
October 16, 1989. It may not ring a bell, but I’m sure if you were or someone you know was living in California at the time, the following day rings clear – The 1989 Loma Prieta Earthquake that killed over 60 people and injured more than 3,000. Or, how about August 28, 2005? The very next day, disaster struck the Central Gulf Coast with Hurricane Katrina, the largest and one of the strongest hurricanes in U.S. history!
How many of you were prepared the day prior to these events? How many of you are prepared now if tragedy hit your community tomorrow?
As we have mentioned before, disaster doesn’t always come with a warning; it’s important to always be prepared for the unexpected.
Discuss and follow the steps below with your family, friends, clients and/or staff members to keep your home or business and its residents safe during an emergency.
- Research and identify potential disasters for your area.
- Storm/Flood
- Fire
- Earthquake
- Power Outage
- Have an evacuation plan.
- Have several methods to receive alerts (radio, social media, mobile app, etc.)
- Include an escape shelter (somewhere safe, accessible)
- Learn the routes in and out of your area in case of road blockages.
- Include safety procedures for shutting down electricity, equipment, etc.
- Prepare emergency information.
- Collect emergency contacts.
- Include medical and insurance information.
- Family Emergency Plan Template
- Build an emergency kit. Include:
- Water and non-perishable foods (don’t forget the can opener)
- Flashlights and batteries
- Dust mask
- Extra clothing and blankets
- Tools to help turn off equipment (wrench, hammer)
- Cell phone chargers
- Fire extinguisher
- First aid kit and prescription medications
- Important documents in water-proof sleeve or container
5. Practice
- Run regular drills in your home and business to help everyone review and know what to do in the event of a real emergency.