Be Prepared, California!
We consider ourselves pretty lucky to live in the great state of California. There’s amazing weather, beautiful beaches, scenic mountains, and a vibrant culture. There are many plus sides to being a California resident – however, we also have our fair share of natural disasters that disrupt our oasis.
As a California home health care organization, we always consider how we can help keep our family and friends healthy and safe. With this in mind, we put together a list of recommendations and tips for you to consider when thinking about emergency preparedness and your family’s safety.
First and foremost, make a plan today. There are many online resources that can help you start this conversation with your family, including this family communication plan published by Ready.Gov.
Consider questions like:
- How can I ensure I will be receiving accurate information if disaster strikes?
- What is the closest evacuation route?
- What is our family plan for each type of disaster?
- Where do we keep our emergency preparedness kit? Is it up to date?
Secondly, it’s also important to create a plan that fits YOUR household’s needs. Our clients and their families must think about how to quickly pack medicine or equipment, dietary needs, pet or baby supplies, and specific courses of action for individuals with disabilities.
What should go in your emergency preparedness kit? Check out some suggestions from the American Red Cross:
- Water: one gallon per person, per day (3-day supply for an evacuation scenario, 2-week supply for sheltering in place)
- Food: non-perishable, easy-to-prepare items (3-day supply for an evacuation scenario, 2-week supply for sheltering in place)
- Flashlight
- Battery-powered or hand-crank radio, along with extra batteries
- First aid kit
- Medical supplies
- Copies of personal documents (medication list and pertinent medical information, proof of address, deed/lease to home, passports, birth certificates, insurance policies, family and emergency contact information)
Please review the full list of items here to make sure your kit is complete.
Last of all, make sure you and your family members practice your plan. It’s one thing to discuss precautionary measures with your household, but you need to ensure your family knows how to execute your plans if necessary.
As Californians, we need to be prepared for anything. Floods, earthquakes, forest fires, or any number of natural disasters could change our worlds on any given day. From our Libertana family to yours, we hope you can use these resources to start a conversation about emergency preparedness today.