Disaster Safety Preparedness & Home Restoration – What You Need to Know

Disasters can strike anywhere and without warning, which is why there are organizations like FEMA, Red Cross, and more. While they are always ready and waiting to respond to threats and emergencies, their aid is mostly limited to survival and not home restoration services.

No one expects or welcomes a disaster, but it always helps to stay prepared for it. According to the Red Cross, the two most important things you need to have include:

• A complete first aid kit that’s within reach and
• Having a shelter and a fallback option.

On the other hand, FEMA also suggests that you have an escape plan for yourself and your family before anything else. Having a home restoration company’s number on speed dial can help you recover from the disaster quickly and help you resume your lives as soon as possible as well.

In this article, we shall discuss some disaster safety preparedness tips for homeowners so that you can take the necessary precautions beforehand, keep yourself and your family safe, and when the time comes, mitigate damages quickly and cost-effectively.

How to Stay Prepared for Disasters

When it comes to disaster preparedness, having a single backup plan is never enough. Try to have at least two plans and practice them with your family. Prioritize the home escape plan, discuss every single detail with others in your house, and identify key escape points.

If you have any fire extinguishers at home, make sure they are well maintained and easily accessible in case of a disaster. According to FEMA, whether you are facing a flood, there’s a fire in your house, there’s a sewage backflow, or some other natural or manmade disaster, you should have a preparedness plan at all times.

The steps towards devising a perfect plan include;

1. Planning.
   1. Start by counting the number of people you need to look after
   2. Address any special needs you need to consider (such as insulin shots, inhalers, disabilities, etc.)
   3. Identify priorities and create a hierarchy
   4. Set up emergency services on speed dial.
2. Updating and restocking your disaster safety preparedness kit. According to the Red Cross, your kit should typically include;
   1. Food (3 days’ supplies)
   2. Water (one gallon per person)
   3. Flashlight
   4. Battery-powered radio
   5. Batteries
   6. Whistle
   7. Facemask
   8. Duct tape
   9. First aid kit
   10. Can opener for food
   11. Prescription medications
   12. Glasses/contact lens
   13. Matches/lighters
   14. Feminine supplies
   15. Personal hygiene items
   16. Paper and pencil
   17. Climate-based change of clothing
   18. Warm blanket
   19. Firearm (optional)
3. Inform everyone where this kit is and how to get access in case of an emergency.
4. Identify what constitutes an emergency. Emergencies are circumstances that pose an immediate threat to your health, life, or property and preventing it might not be possible. You can only deal with the aftermath of the situation with the help of home restoration companies. Examples of disasters and emergencies include;
   1. Earthquakes
   2. Flooding and water damage
   3. Extreme drought
   4. Fire
   5. Tropical storms
   6. Tornadoes and more.
5. Use FEMA’s family emergency plan as a guide.
6. Impress upon the fact that under no circumstances should anyone come back if they made it out.
7. Explain to children why they should leave everything behind and save themselves.
8. Practice the plan’s execution from scratch at least twice, each time with slight variations. Time your escape to see how long it takes everyone to get out. Simulate fire conditions, water damage, earthquakes, and more for better disaster safety preparedness.
9. Set up the contact of a home restoration company on speed dial and contact them, letting them know they are your emergency restoration company. Taking this step will help the restoration company stay prepared for your call or call you from time to time to check up on you.

It is important to remember that emergencies don’t just constitute earthquakes and floods, but also floods, smoke, and fire as well. You should include an evacuation plan for as many circumstances as you can to make the most of your plan.

How Soon Should You Call Home Restoration Companies?

Your first instinct in the event of a disaster should be to escape the home or disaster zone with your family. Take your emergency kit and your family to safety, take a breather, gather your thoughts, and then call a home restoration company for help. Let the disaster take its course first to see the true extent of the damage.

At 911 Restoration, we are known for our timeliness and our ability to come to your rescue within 45 minutes. When calling us, keep that in mind.

Staying prepared for disasters such as water, fire, wind, or sanitization is much simpler than any other; you just have to know who to call. 911 Restoration is ready 24/7 to help you mitigate the damage from a disaster, or even to help you get prepared. Give us a call to learn more about disaster preparedness and how our home restoration services work!