January 4th, 2015 11:01 PM by Dan Howard
Prepare a Plan for Disaster
A natural disaster or serious world event could leave us unable to pick up our cell phone and find our families. Massive power or communication failures are no longer only a possibility in science fiction. These failures have become a possible means of terrorism.
It takes moments to plan locations for a family to meet if communication systems fail. There should be a local place and one outside of the area. It could be a landmark or the home of a relative. It takes moments to discuss and decide where to meet if things go terribly awry.
Create an Emergency Kit. Food, fuel and light are critical for survival. Take a moment and consider all of the items that will not work without power and create an alternate plan. The best resource for creating emergency kits is www.Ready.gov. They have many sample lists designed for a wide range of needs such as families, seniors, businesses and many other groups.
Without electricity, the Automatic Teller Machine will not spit out money into your hand no matter how much money is in your account or how many times you ask. Keep some cash on hand in a safe place.
Take a pictures or a video of your home's furnishings and its contents. It is a reality that disasters can occur in any home, even yours. It could be a fire, flood or major theft, but each of these disasters require documentation of the home and its contents for insurance recovery.