With the advancements in weather technology, meteorologists are now able to more accurately predict when natural disasters are coming our way. Things like tornadoes, hurricanes, earthquakes, and tsunamis can all be picked up by radar before they become a real threat and that’s how meteorologists are able to notify the public on these potential happenings. This allows people to properly prepare, in the event a natural disaster happens.
Unfortunately, people don’t always take the advice of meteorologists, despite how many warnings and alerts are given in advance to take cover or to evacuate your homes. These advanced warnings aren’t presented as a scare tactic… it’s presented to save lives, and that’s why it’s so important to make sure you’re properly prepared for natural disasters.
Look at Antigua and Barbuda when Hurricane Irma hit back in 2017. It was was a terrible storm but the people of Antigua and Barbuda actually took heed to the weather warnings and properly prepared their homes and businesses; The government even cleared drains and reservoirs which prevented flooding from happening. Due to advanced preparedness, there were no lives lost… even the animals were protected from the storm.
Take Heed
When a weather warning is presented, don’t take it lightly… plenty of people have done that in the past, thinking it won’t happen to them and ended up losing their life. As a step in the right direction of ways to prepare for natural disasters, follow these simple tips.
Simple Tips For Preparing For a Natural Disaster
Make Sure You’re Stocked Up on Non-Perishable Foods
According to CNN, every family needs to stock up on enough non-perishable items that will last at least three days to a week. Bottle water, dried foods, and canned goods (the kind that doesn’t require a can opener) are just a few basic items you’ll definitely need in the event of a natural disaster.
Have a First-Aid Kit
A first-aid kit is something you need to have in your home natural disaster or not but it’s especially handy to have when bad weather strikes. Things like bandages, pain relievers, antibiotic cream, and gloves are a few items you will need in your first-aid kit. You can create your own first-aid kit or buy one already made and add additional items you may need.
Get Your Home Disaster Ready
Lots of people don’t want to take the extra measures to disaster-proof their home only for the storm to pass and then they have to undo all their preparation efforts… Well, it’s definitely worth the effort to protect your family and your home than to risk losing either.
The type of proofing you do will be dependent on the storm that’s approaching. If a hurricane or tornado is coming, you’re going to want to board your windows. If you live in an area that’s prone to earthquakes, you want to make sure you have various things bolted down like water heaters and certain free-standing furniture pieces. You also want to make sure that you’re easily able to turn off your gas valve.
Invest in Used Helmets
Helmets are things that not too many people think about when it comes to preparing for natural disasters but helmets can be the very thing that saves your life. If an earthquake hit and something heavy fell and hit you on the head, your likelihood of surviving a head injury is greatly increased. You should have a helmet for every person living in your household.
Helping Those Affected
If you want to do your part and help those who have been affected by natural disasters, you can always donate to the American Red Cross or host a food drive. People will even get together and buy used phones and donate them to different organizations for distribution. This is going to allow families to not have to worry about paying high dollar for a phone once they get back on their feet.
All too often, we see these natural disasters happening on the news and we sit on our comfortable couch shaking our heads. Well, instead of sitting shaking your heads, do something about it and help those in need. It doesn’t have to be a grand gesture but anything is going to help tremendously.
