If you live in the Los Angeles area, you know that you are subject to emergencies, including earthquakes, floods, landslides, wildfires, storms, and more. Being prepared for major disasters is crucial to your survival. You can’t always rely on first-responders to get to you or your family in time. These people are often overwhelmed, trying to save many people in a short amount of time.
Follow these emergency survival tips so that you can be prepared for the next disaster.
Have a Plan
The best thing you can do for yourself and your family is to have a plan for emergency situations. You should always be ready to respond. Make sure to plot evacuation routes, have a family communication plan, and a meeting site in case you get separated.
If you have pets, you should also figure out where to take your pets if they can’t stay with you.
Make sure that you have a plan for each type of emergency situation. The preparation for a wildfire may differ from that of an earthquake, so make sure to nail those details down.
Maintain Supplies
In emergencies, you will not have time to go through your belongings to find supplies that you might need. That’s why it’s a good idea to make sure you gather all of the supplies you need and keep them in one area that you can get to easily during the next emergency.
For Evacuations
Make sure that you have a bag prepared in case of an evacuation. Odds are, you won’t have much time to pack after the evacuation notice as gone out, so it’s good to be prepared. Make sure you have these items ready to go in a bag:
- Important phone numbers to keep in touch with family
- Cash and credit cards
- Documents: social security card, driver’s license, passport, etc…
- Clothing for each family member
- Prescription medications: If you wear glasses, make sure to have a back-up pair.
- Family photos: These will come in handy in case you get separated. Make sure to bring photos of your pet, as well.
If you have infants, your bag should also contain care items like diapers.
For Home Shelter
If you are advised to stay indoors during an emergency, make sure to have these items handy:
- Water and food. Consider storing 1 gallon of water per person or pet, and food for up to ten days.
- First-aid kit. Medical help may take a while to get to you. Keep a first-aid kit well-stocked with all of the necessary equipment, like bandages, scissors, disinfectant and basic medicines.
- Flashlights.
- Battery-operated radio. Internet connections and electrical lines may go down in a calamity. Even without your smartphone, you will want to be able to hear emergency broadcasts to let you know when it is and isn’t safe to go outside.
- Fire extinguisher. You never know what could happen in an emergency situation, so you should be prepared for everything.
- Hygiene and sanitation supplies. You may not know when your next shower will be, so it’s important to consider keeping baby wipes and other sanitation supplies in your emergency kit.
Stay Informed
Make sure that you stay informed so that you can have as much time as possible to prepare for an impending disaster. Sign up for alerts from the county so that you can receive a message, text, or email when there is an emergency. Should there be some legal actions you need to take later on, you might need to consult with a civil litigation attorney Los Angeles.
