Are you Prepared For Disaster?
I live about 40 miles west of Chicago. In the summer it’s damn hot, in the winter it’s damn cold. While there are occasional tornadoes (none witnessed by me), floods from a nearby river, and outrageous snowfalls, I consider my home in a relatively safe location. We are all not this fortunate.
Both of the US coasts have issues, either climatic or geologic. If you live in a Midwestern state, you face enormous tornado threats not to mention the potential New Madrid earthquake.
If you were born on the coast, you know how to survive and you know when to evacuate. However, these rules of engagement are often ignored and for people choosing to relocate to a coast, well, you’re a newbie.
While no one is guaranteeing that this information will keep you from experiencing life changing or ending events, the City of San Francisco is making a solid attempt to prepare you for disaster.
In a major disaster, it might be several days before vital services are restored.
San Francisco is exposed to a wide variety of hazards, both natural and man-made. Earthquakes, fires, severe storms, power outages, and acts of terrorism are just some of the potential emergencies we may encounter.
Imagine that you have no electricity, no gas, no water and no telephone service. Imagine that all the businesses are closed and you are without any kind of emergency services. What will you do until help arrives?
Their 72 Hours site is a great one that shares tips on what you should do in just about every disaster you can think of. It also provides most of the content on a series of pdf documents that you can print and keep handy in a waterproof ziploc bag.
If you haven’t done an emergency drill at your house recently, perhaps it’s time.
