It's very easy to think that an emergency, which could easily be disastrous, will never happen to your family. Unfortunately this is exactly what many people think and therefore, they never plan ahead. The absolute best way to deal with a disaster is to form a plan before it happens. Please don't make the mistake of thinking that because you may not be in a hurricane zone, tornado alley or the frozen tundra, you don't need to worry. Disaster can strike anywhere, anyone, at any time!

Start your preparedness plan with a communications plan. As many have seen with those driven out of Katrina's aftermath, having a plan to find and communicate with each other is vital. Having a communications plan if your family encounters a house fire is vital and could save lives. For more information, check out Communications Plan.

Escape plans are an essential part of your disaster preparedness plans. Start with an escape plan from your home and then an escape plan from your community and even your state. For more helpful ideas about planning escape routes, check out Escape Plan In An Emergency.

Disaster kits are items that should be prepared for each member of the family and checked on a regular basis. Each kit should contain enough to sustain that member of the family for a minimum of three days. The kit should contain water, food, clothing, medicines, and any special needs items a family member may have. It's also a good idea to include bedding supplies if it's at all possible. You can purchase large plastic containers to hold each family members items and label it with their name. Store them all together and show the whole family where they are. For more information on what should be included in your kit, check out Individual Disaster Kits.

A family kit should be included with the individual kits too. Your family kit should contain a set of basic tools, a first aid kit, copies of important family documents such as, insurance papers, birth certificates, etc. Think about sanitation needs and how you might cope without running water, etc.

The whole point in preparing for a disaster, as a parent, is to keep your children healthy and safe. Don't leave their well-being to chance if it can possibly be helped.

Be sure to check out the FEMA for KIDS website for more kid oriented and helpful information. Also the Get Prepared at the Red Cross website has a lot of helpful information too.



You might also be interested in:
Talking About Hurricane Katrina

During the month of September, proceeds from Bella Online's ebook sales will
be donated to the Red Cross! Just go to Ebooks at Bella Online and pick one that you like!

Other articles at Bella that might interest you:
Evacuation Preparedness Guide For People With Disabilities from the Disabilities site at Bella Online.

Hurricane Katrina - One Person Can Make a Difference from the Christian Living site at Bella Online.

Prepare now - Essential items for the Family with an Autistic Child from the Autism Spectrum Disorder site at Bella Online.