No matter where you live, chances are that sooner or later you’ll face some sort of a natural disaster. This could leave you without power, water, or access to resources.
It could be a natural disaster such as a hurricane, snow storm, flood, tornado, or earthquake. Or it could be a manmade disaster, this includes fires or something that has the power grid failing for example. The world can be a harsh place, but there’s something we can do. In 2020 we experienced a pandemic that showed us supply chain issues can happen at any time.
Taking some time to be prepared for the disasters most likely to occur in your area is key.
Your first step in your own disaster preparedness should be to learn the common types of emergencies. Take a few minutes to review the below list for types of disasters. As we have learned recently (2024) disasters can strike anywhere.
This is particularly important for natural disaster.
- Florida or the Southeastern US coast, you should prepare for hurricane season.
- Northeast or south of the Great Lakes, you should get ready for big snow storms.
- Mid-West, or South West, chances are you’ll deal with tornados.
- California and the West Coast, you may prepare for earthquakes and wildfires.
In Northern Nevada we prepare for a mixture of things. Wildfires are a normal occurrence that is becoming a year round threat. Snow storms can also bring mudslides and we are on or near some major fault lines for earthquakes.
Next, think about possible man-made disasters. If you live near a dam, you may need a plan of action for flooding. If you live near a nuclear power plant, know your escape routes. You get the idea. Planning for disasters will be different for each of us. What sort of emergency plan you have will depend on those variables.
Once you have your list, it is a good idea to consider do you stay or go? What steps to prepare to stay at your home and ride it out, or when it may be time to evacuate. Obviously, those decisions may be outside of your control. For example, in the event of a mandatory evacuation you should go. But there will also be plenty of times when the decision is up to you.
Think about what makes the most sense to you and your family. If you are able to stay, you can take care of issues as they pop up and prevent further damage. If a storm blows out a window, you can board it up and prevent water from coming in for example.
At other times, it may be safer and more convenient to get out of the disaster’s way. For those cases as well as mandatory evacuation, think about where you would go. Do you have family or friends you can stay with? If that’s not an option, explore areas near by and get the numbers of a few hotels.
Things move fast when a storm hits and evacuations are ordered. You don’t want to waste time making those decisions in the moment. You could lose out on a hotel room for yourself and your loved ones. Consider creating a binder or checklist that has all your pertinent information for quick action. Shelters should always be a last resort. Trust me, it’s not the most comfortable place to make it through a disaster.
Mother nature has been showing us that even though we have many modern conveniences she is still in control. Make sure your family is prepared with basic necessities and you can weather any situation.
