Disaster Preparedness Center

Proactive Planning for Life's Emergencies

The time to prepare for a disaster is long before the sirens sound. Taking a proactive approach to emergency planning ensures the physical safety of your family and speeds up the financial recovery process with your insurance carrier.

Fire Safety (The "Stop, Drop, and Go" Strategy) House fires move incredibly fast.

Balancing Deductibles and Emergency Funds Your insurance deductible is the amount you agree to pay out-of-pocket before your coverage kicks in.

• Ensure smoke detectors are tested monthly and batteries are replaced twice a year.
• Establish a family meeting point outside the home.
• Map out two primary escape routes from every room, especially second-story bedrooms. (Be sure to sign up for our free "Stop, Drop, and Go: 12 Essential Steps To Keep Your Family Safe from Fire" eBook on our homepage!)

Creating a Home Inventory If your home burns down or is destroyed by a tornado, you will be asked to list everything you lost. Relying on memory during a trauma is nearly impossible.

• Action Step: Walk through your home with your smartphone camera. Open closets, drawers, and the garage. Narrate the video, mentioning brand names and approximate purchase dates. Store this video securely in the cloud. It will make the claims process infinitely smoother.

The Emergency "Go-Bag" Every household should have a pre-packed emergency bag that includes:

• Three days of non-perishable food and water.
• First aid supplies and necessary prescription medications.
• Flashlights, extra batteries, and a hand-crank radio.
• Physical copies of important documents (IDs, insurance declaration pages, birth certificates) in a waterproof container.