7 Important Disaster Preparedness Tips That You May Have Overlooked.

When disaster strikes, things can spiral out of control quickly due to panic and a lack of being prepared. Having a preparedness plan especially in the event of natural disaster is crucial to securing a safe transition out of danger for you and your loved ones. So remaining calm and focused as well as being prepared for these unexpected moments is extremely important. Disaster preparedness goes beyond having an emergency kit. Here are some tips that are often overlooked which you should incorporate into your plan.

1. Know what you’ll face. Being prepared is being aware of what events may threaten the safety of you and your loved ones as well as knowing what to do in each situation. Living in the Caribbean means that the chances of a hurricane hitting your island is quite high. Therefore, you should also consider what you should put in place in the event of a flash flood especially if you live in an area that is prone to flooding.
2. Learn your area’s evacuation routes and shelter locations. Have a family meeting to ensure that everyone is familiar with the escape routes from your home including the more difficult ones. Also have a plan where your family would regroup if you must evacuate the house. Pick one location right outside the house and another outside of the neighborhood in case you need to leave the area. Also decide ahead of time where you would go in case of evacuation, whether it’s at a relative’s house or at a shelter.
3. Know how you will reconnect with people who matter. Consider how you contact your family and those close to you in the event that cell phone networks are down. How will you let others know you are alright? Ensure that you also have a list of emergency contacts and local emergency numbers.
4. Learn what to do if you’re caught away from home. In the event of an unexpected emergency, you should be prepared to react from different locations, including your workplace of car. Know your evacuation routes, communication plan and how you’ll receive emergency communication. If you have children at school, speak to officials to learn how they will communicate with you in the event of an emergency and where they will go if they need to evacuate.
5. Have a kit and know how to use it. Using a waterproof bag or storage bin , create an emergency kit with enough supplies to last 72 hours and store in an easily accessible, cool place such as a closet or garage. Among the items include: non-perishable food for 3 days, batteries, a battery-operated radio, a first aid kit, personal care products, water and a torch light. The key is to have this assembled, in good working order and ready to use.
6. Keep in mind people who may need special preparation. Kids, infants, people with disabilities and seniors may all need special considerations while planning for an emergency. If you or a family member needs medication or special equipment, make sure to have to bring it with you.
7. Learn emergency skills that can always come in handy. Learning how to use a fire extinguisher or performing basic first aid and CPR could help you to save someone’s life when you least expect it. Also take the time to learn how to shut off the utilities in your home in the event of a disaster.

Here is a list of numbers you should keep handy in the event of an Emergency.  Print it out and either place it in your emergency kit or place it in an area that everyone can easily find.

Emergency Numbers

Police: 999

Fire & Ambulance: 990

Ambulance: 811

Reporting Crime: 555

Trinidad and Tobago Coast Guard: 634-4440

Natural Disaster: 640-1285 / 8905 / 8653 / 6493

Red Cross:

Northern Branch: 627-8215 / 8214 / 8128

Southern Branch: 652-2024 / 657-5818 / 297-3133

Tobago: 639-2781

Office of Disaster Preparedness and Emergency Management (ODPM): 640-1285

Utilities

Trinidad & Tobago Electrical Commission (T&TEC): 800-TTEC (8832) OR 800-BULB (2852)

Water And Sewerage Authority of Trinidad Tobago (WASA): 790-5286

Source: 10 Disaster Preparedness Tips You Can Really Us. https://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/09/10/disaster-prep-month_n_5790278.html