Emergency Preparedness Tips for California Residents
You never know when disaster may strike. More often than not, we’ve experienced stories in news broadcasts featuring families whose homes have undergone destruction due to unavoidable natural disasters. Some may argue that the chances of losing your home to a life-threatening emergency are slim. However, exercising a proactive approach to prevent the pangs of disasters on your home and gets you ready for the unknown. Besides, prevention is better than cure.
Unfortunately, most Americans are unaware of how susceptible their homes are to being hit by a disaster. In 2015, wildfire cleared more than 8 million acres of land in the US. Also, by May 2015, the country had experienced 150 strong tornadoes. More surprising, RealtyTrac carried out a survey that specified that 43% of American homes, totaling about 2,318 units, are at risk of being hit by at least one type of disaster: tornado, wildfire, earthquake, and hurricane.
Natural Disasters in California
California is one of the most populated states in the US, with a total of over 39 million residents. However, the Golden State is one of the regions in the US that are most prone to natural disasters. The most common emergencies in Cali include wildfires, flooding, tsunamis and hurricanes, and winter storms. In 2018, Camp Fire hit California, causing the most devastating wildfire in the state’s history.
Nonetheless, California’s infamous natural disaster is earthquake. The state is estimated to have 500 active fault lines and fissures, and 100 of them are in Los Angeles. According to NASA, the chances of an earthquake occurring in California is 99.9% in two years.
Preparedness for Earthquakes
The CRMP Earthquake Brace + Bolt program grants California residents living in earthquake-prone areas with$3,000 for retrofitting their homes to strengthen them against rumbles. Even so, you need to prepare your bedroom, the entire home, and your family for a likely occurrence.
Preparedness means the steps you take to ensure you can respond and recover from a ground shaking. Think of it as making savings in your survivability account for use in times of emergencies. The best way to prepare for an earthquake is to:
- Check potential hazards in the home and perform repairs
- Design an earthquake preparedness plan
- Identify safety areas both indoors and outdoors
- Research more on earthquakes and steps to take to ensure safety
- Accessibility of disaster supplies such as medicine, flashlight, first aid kit, emergency food, etc.
- Create an emergency communication channel
Have Inventory of Personal Property
The advantage of taking count of your personal property is that you can purchase insurance cover that caters for all your valuable belongings. It’s one of the critical after-emergency documents because property inventory hastens your claim.
Prepare the Home
Prepping the home is an effective way of ensuring you avoid the most damage to your valuables. It also makes it easy to salvage items. Therefore, when you notice a power hitch, disconnect every electrical appliance and system from the power inlets.
Additionally, you need to store food properly. For example, in flood-prone areas, pack dry foods in air-tight containers and place them in high places to avoid water contamination. Further, categorize foods in the refrigerator to lag their perishability. Food items such as milk, meats, and poultry can be frozen in thick ice to prolong their shelf-life.
Revisit the Insurance Details
Having an in-depth understanding of your home insurance policy acts as a map on which repairs or replacements to perform. Additionally, you need to understand the most common disasters in your region of residence. That way, you can make the best choice of which insurance to purchase. For instance, on Florida’s coast, you might need flood damage insurance.
Stephanie
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