September is National Preparedness Month and celebrates protecting the life you’ve built for your family. After years of creating a safe environment for your loved ones to flourish, wouldn’t it be smart to be even more prepared in the event something happens to your home?
Whether you are a renter or homeowner, it’s important to stay up to date on best practices to keep your family and yourself safe from natural disasters. Intense weather events are becoming more common and widespread, making preparedness a necessity for anyone. For example, in 2021, Texas and other parts of the South experienced a highly unusual winter storm that dropped temperatures to below freezing and left millions without electricity and unprepared for what to do next.
How is your family prepared for natural disasters?
Planning and preparing before natural disasters will ensure safety for your family. According to a 2021 survey by Wells Fargo, less than half (46%) of Americans have an emergency kit that includes supplies that will last for serval days. (citation: the Wells Fargo article) Protecting your family isn’t just about having homeowners’ insurance, it’s about organizing plans and resources to keep your family’s health and well-being safe.
Getting Started
We hope you and your family are already equipped for life’s unexpected moments, but for those interested in learning more about keeping your family protected and prepared for any potential natural disasters, let’s look at these simple steps:
1) Get a Kit
2) Make a Plan
3) Be Informed
Emergency Kits can vary from household to household and may even include resources for your pet(s). Yes, that’s right, we didn’t forget our lovable companions. If you are under an evacuation warning, your pets need to evacuate with you. Having a list of local pet-friendly hotels will be helpful, but don’t worry, our team has you covered for all your hotel and housing needs.
Hurricane and Wildfire Preparedness
And last but not least, it’s important to remember that hurricane season runs until November 30th, and wildfires can burn through the end of Fall. Both natural disasters set historic records in 2021. The four biggest US tropical cyclones cost a combined $67 billion in insured losses, but the final costs could exceed $100 billion. (citation: the Hurricanes Disaster Philanthropy article) In California alone, 8,619 wildfires burned almost 2.6 million acres, and a total of three fatalities and 3,629 structures were damaged or destroyed. (citation: the Wildfires Disaster Philanthropy article) Learn more about hurricane and wildfire season here.
Now is the time to keep your family prepared, protected, and informed.
- Create an Action Plan for your family, or a list of precautions, steps, and meeting points to ensure everyone’s safety during an evacuation.
- Monitor the weather reports in your area and know your community’s emergency response plan, evacuation orders and evacuation centers.
- Ensure your Emergency Kits/Evacuation Bag are in your vehicle.
- Get your home ready by clearing your yard, covering windows and doors, and remembering to turn your power and gas off if you are leaving because of an evacuation.
- Always listen to authorities and never ignore an evacuation order.
#PlanPrepareStayAware
Natural disasters continue to impact American homeowners, and in 2021, over 14.5 million homes, or about 1 in every 10, were destroyed or damaged from climate related events. (citation: the CNBC article) How will you and your family stay prepared? Celebrate National Preparedness Month by staying informed, gathering supplies, and creating an emergency plan for your family. And better yet, spread awareness to your loved ones, friends, and neighbors to help them prepare for the future as well. #InItTogether
Resources
ready.gov/september | riverjournalonline.com | Redcross Survival Kit | Redcross Make a Plan | Redcross Be Informed | Redcross Disaster Prep | readyforwildfire.org/prepare-for-wildfire | cnbc.com | cdc.gov/disasters/hurricanes | newsroom.wf.com | disasterphilanthropy.org | disasterphilanthropy.org/disasters
