Is your family prepared for a disaster?
Categories: Health & safety
As San Francisco, the city in which I live, marks the 100th anniversary of the Great
Earthquake of 1906 today, I've been thinking about how to prepare for a disaster. Luckily I don't have to think too
hard because the city of San Francisco Office of Emergency Services has put together an
excellent website telling me exactly what I need to do to prepare for an earthquake, flood, fire, power outage, or
act of terrorism.The site outlines exactly what should be in your disaster preparedness kit. Following the links on the site you can plan a kit for each member of your family including your pets. It also tailors kits for children and seniors. Once the kit is done, the site offers guidlines on how to get involved in preparing your community and also spells out exactly what to do in case of specific disasters.
The site doesn't just benefit San Francisco residents. Check it out and see if you're prepared. We found out we really weren't. At all. Kudos San Francisco for a job well-done!
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
ann adams 4-18-2006 @ 3:15PM
San Francisco should know if anyone does. I was 19 stories up for the '89 Loma Prieta quake. Not at all comfortable although it was one of the safest building in the city.
I have emergency supplies here although we're a little removed from the fault lines. Still, my county was recently declared a disaster area due to flooding. We never know what we'll need until we need it and don't have it. Prepared is better.
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Ron Wilson 4-18-2006 @ 4:00PM
We have plenty of canned food and water.
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Jen 4-18-2006 @ 4:02PM
I guess I'm terribly unprepared :( It's like doing a will or buying life insurance - you put it off because you're afraid if you do it, something bad will happen. With kids though, we have to be prepared to protect them. Thanks for the post - I'm going to bookmark that link.
http://www.organicskincaresite.com
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Adrienne Backus 4-18-2006 @ 6:09PM
Bleah. I am so behind on my hurricane preparations and the season starts in just six weeks. I so hope we don't have another year like last year. I would just like to add a couple comments:
One thing everyone should consider: by *not* preparing for an emergency and depending on the government for help, you're putting everyone in your community at risk, not just your own family. I can't tell you how often we're told, "Be prepared to take care of yourself for three days." Yet there's always some idiot who doesn't listen and is out on the roads as soon as the storm lifts, looking for water or food or whatever. When they get in trouble, emergency personnel have to deal with them instead of with the crisis at hand.
Also, check with your neighbors to see if there are any elderly people who need help preparing. We have a lot of elderly people here in South Florida who weren't able to fully prepare last year and couldn't leave their homes to get help afterwards because of stuck elevators or what have you.
God grant a disaster never happens to your family, but take it from someone who's been through three hurricanes in the last two years: Being prepared is the most important thing you can do to get through it.
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Anna V. 4-19-2006 @ 9:58AM
We have a big tupperware bin with hurricane supplies in it. With 3 little kids, unless we had a cat 5 bearing down on us (unlikely, as it'd hit the Outer Banks first and weaken), we're not going to evacuate, just to sit in traffic for hours. It's smart to be prepared well ahead of time.
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