Knowing What to Expect in Your Area No matter where you live, there are going to be possible disasters and other vents which might impact you. It is a simple fact, and it is one that is best accepted. Different areas on the maps are going to be more vulnerable to different things. A big part of being prepared is being able to understand what kind of events might affect you, and being ready for them. Being informed in this way is one of the first big steps toward effective preparation. Knowledge will aid you in deciding on what to focus on the most.
How to be Prepared There are some universals which come along with preparation, no matter where you live. For example, it is very important to have a seventy two hour kit for every person in the household. These kits will contain a few days’ worth of food and water, as well as flashlights and batteries and spare clothes and first aid supplies. This is a preparation baseline which everyone should take. In most cases, help will arrive quickly, but being able to remain safe and healthy for a few days with these supplies gives you a very pronounced edge over the situation. Likewise, food storage is also important. This is generally more comprehensive than what would be in a standard seventy tow hour kit. Having a couple of weeks’ worth of food will also greatly contribute to your safety. The more you prepare with measures like these ahead of time, the better off you will be.
Know about Your Area Getting back to planning for emergencies in your specific area, it is important to understand what may be faced. Learning about past disasters and what the location is going to be most vulnerable to should illustrate what needs to be done. For example, those who live in coastal areas will need to be prepared for hurricanes and other storms, as well as flooding and heavy rain. These locations are defined by their proximity to the water, and the water is going to be the most damaging force of all in these locations. Likewise, those who live along fault lines will need to be prepared for earthquakes. California is perhaps the best example to be found in the United States. California is located on a fault that is poised to go, and endures many light tremors a year. Earthquakes are not a matter of if, but of when in this location.
For those who live in the open areas of the United States, such as on the Great Plains, tornadoes are an annual disaster which can do a lot of damage. These wind storms cause a lot of damage and can quickly appear with little warning. Obviously, those who live in mountainous regions with a lot of snow will have to worry about slides, since there is ground being weakened and shifted every year. It is a very real danger which needs to be prepared for. All of these events stand as example of region specific events which can do a lot of damage. Taking location and type of disaster into account should be able to make your prep work much more effective and viable in the long run.