Image Courtesy of AccuWeather
Growing up on the East Coast I have not only seen the devastation a natural disaster can cause but have also experienced it first hand. The worst of the hurricanes that I have personally experienced were Hugo and Fran. We lived in Loris, SC in 89 when Hugo hit and we lost power for two weeks. It was pretty bad, and it left me with a strong desire to always be prepared. The exact same thing happened to us in NC when Fran hit, but we were fortunate enough to have an uncle bring us a generator!
So how do you prepare for natural disasters? There are great resources available from the National Weather Service that will help your family with emergency preparedness based on where you live. Depending on where you are located in the country, and the types of natural disasters your area can expect these brochures can help you prepare.
You can also teach your children to be prepared by having family discussion nights where you go over evacuation plans in case of a fire, create id cards for your children, and walk them through different types of storms and basic safety tips. This is especially important for children who are old enough to stay home by themselves. You should make sure your child knows how to take care of themselves and others in dangerous situations.
Quick thinking and having a plan can mean the difference between life and death. What type of natural disasters have you experienced? What are your tips for being prepared?
You can never be too prepared for a hurricane in FL. We’ve been very lucky!
I lived in Florida for 11 years and we had all types of tropical storms. Having water is really important in my opinion. Once we had an F4 or F5 tornado and I managed a shelter where we really needed diapers, formula, and other baby items.
We’ve been working on this, especially with the slew we’ve been hit with this last year.
This is a good reminder. I’m struggling with teaching my toddlers about emergencies because I don’t want to scare them. Your article is a good reminder to figure out ways to gently introduce the topic.
Thanks!
Yup – living in South Florida has taught me to be a girl scout again (be prepared).