Preparation Home Tips for a Natural Disaster

Guest Blogger #922, Entry #2271, April 6, 2013

Hurricane Katrina, 2005. The tsunami (and resultant nuclear meltdown) in Japan, 2011. The earthquake in Haiti, 2012. All of these natural disasters left behind them a wake of destruction so immense that international aid had to be given and the cleanup and rebuilding efforts are still ongoing. The point is that a natural disaster can strike anywhere, at any time, leaving you without access to electricity, clean drinking water, or medical care. It could even leave you homeless. And your best bet for survival in these instances is to be prepared to care for yourself until sufficient aid can be mobilized and sent to your area. Whether you’re dealing with a scenario that merely leaves you without water and power (but otherwise unharmed) or you have to figure out how to survive when you can’t stay in your home and you’re tending to wounded family members, here are just a few ways to prepare for the possibility of a natural disaster.

Ensure your home is ready for an emergency

Image via: Habitat Post & Beam, Inc.

1. Drinking water.

This should be your number one concern. Without clean drinking water you will perish within a matter of days (or sooner if you’ve lost blood). For this reason it is important to consider how much water you will need per person, per day, as well as how many days you might need to ration for. Don’t forget that you may want some extra water for pets or for purposes like cooking or cleaning wounds, as well. And keep your supply fresh by replacing stored bottles of water every six months. You might also want to pick up some water purification tablets just in case you can’t access your stored water for some reason.

Be prepared for anything!

Image via: Houzz

2. Non-perishable food.

Your second consideration should be food, and in a disaster situation it’s probably best to have plenty of sealed, non-perishable options. Canned food is a good choice, so long as you have a working can opener. But you may also want to consider MREs (meals ready to eat – or military rations). You can find them at your local army/navy supply, in most cases. Just keep in mind that you have to add water to MREs, whereas canned food is often preserved in water or other liquids already. And if you have pets, make sure that you have enough food on hand for them, as well.

3. First-aid kit.

All kinds of injuries and illnesses can occur during and after a natural disaster. While you might not keep an entire triage center in your garage, you should certainly put together a decent first aid kit that includes gauze, bandages, and antiseptic to keep wounds clean and covered, as well as basic medication like aspirin. It couldn’t hurt to have some current antibiotics in there, too. And you might want extras like a sling or tourniquet in case of broken bones. You never know how long you might have to hold out awaiting medical care.

Prepare your home for a natural disaster with these helpful tips

Image via: Lennar Cares

4. Batteries.

Without electricity at your beck and call you’ll find many reasons to need batteries, so stock up on those required for your radio, flashlights, and so on. This will help to ensure access to information and other necessities when you’re without power.

5. Survival kit.

The items listed above might all go into a standard survival kit, but you should also put together an area-specific kit to use in case you are unable to enter your home during a natural disaster (if it is flooded, unstable, or beset by a gas leak, for example). This kit might include camping gear like thermal blankets and a tent, knives and matches, a map of the area, and perhaps even a small camp stove for cooking. And if you live in a colder climate, you may want heat packs or sub-zero sleeping bags. You could also include pet carriers for any animals in your home (chances are they’ll be safest staying confined during disasters). Your home insurance in Florida, California, or Michigan should cover the cost of fixing your home after the fact, but in the meantime you’ll need the survival gear on hand to make it through the ordeal.

For more natural disaster home tips on Stagetecture, click here.