FAMILY DISASTER PLANNING
Each year, thousands of people are threatened by both natural and manmade disasters. Yet 60 percent of American adults haven’t practiced any emergency plan, including those who live in disaster-prone areas, according to the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA). What should you do if a disaster occurs while you’re away from your kids? As parents, we’re responsible for formulating a plan, anticipating possible conditions that may affect it, and even doing a few dry runs to reinforce the procedures that’ll be used to keep our kids safe until we’re able to reach them. But where do you start?
Assess Your Threats
While no one can predict disasters with certainty, evaluating where you’re located and what’s present in your area can help you develop an appropriate response. If you’re new to an area, your local Red Cross chapter will have information on what types of disasters have occurred in the past as well as warning signs to be aware of.
For instance, if you moved from California to Texas, you may not have to worry about earthquakes as much, but now may be facing tornados, hurricanes, and floods. Analyze what kind of natural disasters are most likely to occur where you live and understand seasonality patterns. Stocking up on food, supplies, and medication prior to these emergencies can stave off some of the complications you’re likely to encounter if resources are limited or unavailable.
You should also evaluate the likelihood of manmade disasters in your area. For instance, are you close to a railroad or freeway that’s a known thoroughfare for toxic chemical transportation where a spill could occur? Do you live within 50 miles of a nuclear power plant? Are you located near prisons or major cities where rioting may develop? Hurricane Katrina is a perfect example of this type of situation — hundreds of prisoners were abandoned and disappeared into the surrounding cities.
What is your home’s proximity to industrial plants that can cause chemical leaks via water or air? Sometimes a natural disaster can trigger these sorts of accidents as well.
