How to Prepare Your Family for Disasters
Disaster preparation may seem overwhelming, but don't worry – the experts have prepared excellent advice to get you started on protecting your family. It can also seem scary to think about potential disasters, however, experts have found that planning can actually help reduce anxiety. In addition, planning now can help reduce the impact of any disaster that might come.
The experts recommend that you keep a disaster kit with supplies for three days and that you develop a plan of action and practice it with your family.
The links below will help you put together your kit and make a disaster plan:
- American Red Cross - Prepare for Emergencies
- Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) - Are You Ready?
If you or a member of your family have a disability, here are some more tips:
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) - Disability and Health Emergency Preparedness Tools and Resources
If you have children, get them involved in preparedness with these resources:
- Ready.gov - Ready Kids
For special advice on protecting your finances in the event of a disaster, read:
- Ready.gov - Financial Preparedness
Don't forget your pets! The link below will help you prepare a special kit and plan for the non-human members of your family:
- American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA) - Disaster Preparedness for Pets