Source: Pixabay
In recent years, we’ve seen an increasing number of extreme weather events. For example, in 2021, India experienced 787 lightning and thunderstorms, 759 floods, heavy rains and landslides, and 172 cyclonic storms.
While we can’t control the weather, we can help lessen the impact this has by being prepared. This means that whether it’s fire, flood, or another natural disaster you’re faced with, you can protect yourself and your family from the worst of its ravages.
So, where should you start?
Create a tech survival kit
If you haven’t heard of a tech survival kit before, you might want to take a look at this infographic. When a crisis hits, it’s helpful to have all your tech essentials in one place, so you don’t lose contact with the outside world or access to important files and documents.
It’s vital to keep this kit in a waterproof go-bag, so it’s ready to use if you find yourself evacuating at short notice and/or faced with flooding. As well as containing essentials like a satellite phone and power bank, it should be packed with torches, screwdriver kits, and a pocketknife, as well as copies of important documents.
Have a go-bag at the ready
A tech survival kit will ensure you don’t lose communication when you most need it, but it’s not enough in itself. It should be included as part of a larger grab bag, which contains any other essentials that might help in the event of a natural disaster.
This could include blankets, candles, matches, and dried food, as well as a change of clothes, toiletries, cash, and credit cards. This means that if you find yourself cut off – for example, due to widespread flooding – you have enough to sustain you until help arrives.
A first-aid kit is probably the most important component in your go-bag and should include sterile dressings, bandages, and an aluminum blanket. If you want to make sure you’re really prepared, take a first-aid course, so you’re able to provide a basic level of care if you or a family member are injured in an emergency.
Have an evacuation plan ready
Source: Pixabay
Go-bags and tech survival kits are incredibly useful if you need to evacuate – but so is having a plan for doing so. This should include how you’d stay abreast of ongoing events, how you’d leave your property and which route you’d take, and who you’d call for help if you were stranded. You might also want to liaise with friends or family members in other parts of the country to see if they’d be willing to take you in.
As well as planning what would happen to human family members, your pets should be accounted for. For instance, in the event of wildfires, perhaps there’s a certain place where you’d set livestock free and protocols you’d follow to help reunite you after the event.
When it comes to natural disasters, it’s always worth being prepared. No matter how unlikely it is that you’d be affected, no one wants to realize they’re minus an action plan in a high-stress and scary situation. Organize today to stay safe tomorrow.