(Source: FEMA) – Hurricane Sandy survivors know how important it is to be prepared for disasters.
This year, as you make your New Year’s resolutions, the Federal Emergency Management Agency urges you to have a disaster plan and integrate smartphones into it.
Here are some preparedness tips:
Know the hazards and risks in your area.
Create an emergency information document by going to www.ready.gov and downloading FEMA’s Family Emergency Plan.
Know how to communicate with and find your loved ones when a disaster strikes.
Discuss the types of disasters that are most likely to happen and pick a meeting place in case you can’t return home.
Ask an out-of-state friend to be your family contact.
Discuss what to do in an evacuation and make plans for your pets.
Teach children how and when to call 911.
Build two emergency supply kits – one for the home and one for the car – that include water, food, blankets and first aid supplies in the event you lose power or are stranded in your car.
Survivors can also make a smartphone part of the family disaster kit. Learn how to send updates via text and email from your mobile phone to your contacts in case voice communication is not available. (www.ready.gov/get-tech-ready)
For more information, visit Ready.gov and CitizenCorps.gov or download FEMA, American Red Cross and NOAA weather apps. You can also follow FEMA’s readiness campaign on Twitter using the hashtag #R2BR2013.
FEMA’s mission is to support our citizens and first responders to ensure that as a nation we work together to build, sustain, and improve our capability to prepare for, protect against, respond to, recover from, and mitigate all hazards.
Follow FEMA online at www.fema.gov/blog, www.twitter.com/fema, www.facebook.com/fema, and www.youtube.com/fema. Also, follow Administrator Craig Fugate’s activities at www.twitter.com/craigatfema.
The social media links provided are for reference only. FEMA does not endorse any non-government websites, companies or applications.
Source: FEMA
