Are You Prepared in the Event of a Catastrophe


Many families feel that they're safe from disasters, both natural and artificial.  They don't live near a fault line so they don't worry about earthquakes, or they don't worry about flooding because they don't leave near an ocean.  This isn't to say they don't have worries or concerns, because they certain do; the fear of some sort of major catastrophe just isn't one of them most days.  

Then, one terrible day, some tragic happens.

Perhaps they live in a place like Louisiana, which supposedly had strong fail safes against hurricanes and flooding. Others have lived in places where some sort of freak accident set off an unbelievable and dangerous chain reaction.  Still others were plagued by unnatural disasters, caused by terrorist threats, criminal activities gone awry, or mechanical failures.  Whatever the case, many families suffered horrible consequences due to their lack of preparation.

No one wants to live in fear or paranoia, but the thought of getting caught unawares is a heavy burden should something happen..  You may want to consider how prepared you or your family is for something unexpected.  Many of these preparations are small measures that can yield excellent protections, while others simply know what to do.  All of them could save the life of anyone if your family, so you should at least consider them.

1) Have a Designated Meet Up Place: If the problem in question makes your home or residence unsafe, you may not all be able to use the same exits at the same time.  Plan ahead and designate a place nearby that everyone should gather at, should you need to leave in a hurry.  If you want to be particularly careful, you should also designate somewhere outside of your immediate neighborhood.  This way, if you need to evacuate the area entirely, you'll have somewhere to reconnect at.

2) First Aid Kits and Go Bags: A go bag is any sort of sturdy backpack or suitcase that has emergency essentials in it.  Flashlights, a little bit of food, some bottled water, duct tape, and a battery operated radio are all things that will come in handy should some sort of devastating action occur in the area.  You can have one bag for the household, but it's smarter if everyone has their own.  If nothing else, have a well stocked first aid kit, and have it in a designated spot.

3) Water Reserves: In the case of many disasters, both natural and manmade, it is not uncommon for an area to have issues with its water supply.  Accordingly, it can be smart to have reserves of water set aside in advance.  A gallon of water, per person, per day is usually a good standard to go by.  Most experts recommend having enough water set aside for at least three days.  Should you live in a very remote location, however, you may want to put even more aside.  Rotate your reserves every six months to a year.

4) Know the Location of the Nearest Hospital, Police Station, and/or Government Building: These will often be where help is dispatched to and from in the event of an emergency.  Make sure you and your family knows where such locations are, and that you know how to get to them by foot.
