Disaster Preparedness Tips for 2023
Earlier this month, we saw what a disaster of unimaginable proportions could do to an entire region of people, with the 7.8 magnitude earthquake that devastated Turkey and Syria. More than 46,000 people have been killed, and 264,000 apartments have been destroyed.
While it’s impossible to predict when a mega earthquake will occur, there are a few things we can do in advance to prepare our loved ones and our home for a disaster.
Whether it’s surviving a massive earthquake, battling the next pandemic, or preparing for a raging wildfire or flood, it’s important that every household takes the proper precautions to plan for an emergency situation.
Check out Julian Construction’s tips for preparing for a disaster below:
- Know where to find local information: After a large disaster, it’s essential to know where to find local information. Staying informed will help you plan and strategize your response.
- Protect yourself and your family: Whether it’s finding a safe place in your home during a disaster or updating your emergency survival kit on a yearly basis, the more prepared you are the better chance you have of staying alive.
- Prepare an emergency disaster kit: When preparing for a disaster, make sure you keep a backup supply of food, water, and medications on-hand. You’ll want to have the following items:
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- Keep a two-week supply of prescription and over the counter medications for every person and pet in your household.
- Keep a two-week supply of non-perishable food and water, enough to sustain every person and pet in your home.
- A first-aid kit.
- A multi-tool and pocket knife.
- A hand-crank radio.
- A whistle or horn.
- A flashlight and extra batteries.
- A phone charger.
- A power station.
- Extra clothing and blankets.
- Have an established plan to communicate with others (friends, extended family members, and co-workers) in the event of an emergency: Having a landline in your home and/or office is always a good idea in case cell towers or the internet go down.
- Prepare your finances and personal documents: Gather your financial and critical personal documents (i.e. birth certificates and social security cards) in your household. Keep them in a safe and easy-to-access place.
- Prepare your medical information: Same goes for your medical information, store copies of your health insurance, immunization records, and medications in a safe and easy-to-access place.
- Create an emergency savings account: Create an emergency savings account that is only to be used during or after a disaster or crisis. Keep a small amount of cash in your home with small bills in the event ATMs and banks are not working or accessible.
- Get insured: Keep your home, health, and life insurance up to date. It’s never a good idea to go without insurance even if things, like your home mortgage, have been paid off. Talk to the insurance company about what is covered – many times, flooding, fire, and earthquake insurance policies need to be purchased separately.
Taking the proper precautions to prepare for a disaster will help keep you and your loved ones safe. And if you live in California, one of the most essential steps you can take to prepare for an earthquake is to earthquake retrofit your home.
Earthquake retrofitting is a necessary safeguard that will help protect your property and those who reside there in face of a massive earthquake. It will keep your home from sliding off of its foundation and collapsing (as we saw in Turkey).
If you think your home may be in need of earthquake retrofitting, foundation repair, or foundation replacement, contact Julian Construction today and we will send one of our foundation specialists out to conduct a free, thorough inspection with a quote for repair.
We have extensive experience serving our Los Angeles community and nearby regions. In fact, Julian Construction has inspected over 30,000 structures in the area! Give us a call at (323) 733-3377 to schedule your free inspection or complete the inspection request form.
