Be Ready! 4 Emergency Preparedness Steps Homeowners Should Take

Preparing yourself for an emergency is especially important if you’re a homeowner. By taking the necessary steps to prepare yourself, you’ll be able to handle things better and get your life back on track more quickly following the disaster. Here are four ways to prepare yourself for an emergency situation.

Protect Your Important Documents

All your personal identification, homeownership record and other vital documents should be kept in protected places that are easy to access. You’ll need some of these documents to file any insurance claims. One of the best ways to protect your records is to place them in a storage area that’s both waterproof and fireproof. Just be sure to remember exactly where you’re storing your documents so that you won’t have to scramble to find them. Copies of these documents can be stored virtually in cloud-based storage or on a flash drive.

Have an Emergency Water Supply

Your water supply could be cut off in the event of an emergency. Whether you lose water because of a natural disaster or major problem with your city’s pipelines, you should always have access to an emergency water supply. Keeping bottles of water around your home is a great way to stay prepared. Using catchments to catch rainwater to store for drinking is also useful. You may even want to consider having a well put in your property so that you’ll always have access to your own drinking water.

Check Your Fire Extinguisher’s Expiration Date

You probably have at least one fire extinguisher in your home, and you probably forget to check its expiration date. Once the expiration date has passed, your fire extinguisher will likely be useless if you need to put out a fire. Depending on the type of extinguisher you have, yours could last anywhere from five to 15 years before it needs to be replaced. Your extinguisher should have a tag on it that shows the expiration date. Another way to know if your extinguisher is still good is to make sure that the needle for the pressure gauge is still in the green area.

Create an Emergency Kit

An emergency kit can save your life and provide you with necessary supplies if help isn’t able to reach you right away. The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) suggests that you include enough food, water and other supplies in your kit to last you for at least three days. Nonperishable food items that you may want to add to your kit include dry cereal, dried fruit and ready-to-eat canned meats. A can opener will also be useful if you need to open any cans. You’ll want to make sure that your kit has a flashlight, medicine and bandages as well.

Getting yourself and your home ready for an emergency will increase your odds of avoiding further hardships. By preparing yourself, you’ll be more capable of dealing with whatever comes your way.

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