We’re not trying to scare you into believing a disaster will strike your town tomorrow.
One of the most important steps any of us can take is to acknowledge it could happen to you. Disasters are on our minds daily at TR, but, understandably, that’s not the case for most. So how do we know if we’re mentally prepared for a sudden disaster? It starts with acknowledgment and conversation.
Preparedness begins with conversations with those in your household, sometimes difficult conversations. For many of us, our family and loved ones share equal stake in the emergency plan and talking together about what to do if an incident does happen will make things unfold safer and smoother when go-time does come around.
For National Preparedness Month we’re making an effort to share quick tips to help you and your loved ones prepare for disasters. Here, we’ll focus on healthy mental preparation and things like finances, a common stressor in the aftermath of a destructive storm.
How to Mentally Prepare You and Your Family for Disaster
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Do the math for emergency funding.
Will you potentially endure lost wages? Will you be stuck in a hotel? Will your insurance payout get to you in time? Having access to even $400 in an emergency is unrealistic or difficult for many vulnerable communities, but by planning your emergency savings for a disaster that hopefully never comes, you’ll cut down on money-related stress. -
Learn how your children’s schools are prepared.
Severe storm scenarios often unfold with very little warning and could occur while your kids are in school. That’s not necessarily a bad thing, as schools are well prepared for most emergencies and have practice drills regularly. Coordinating your family’s plans with the schools for pick-up will alleviate stress of not knowing when it matters. -
Talk about funeral plans.
This is one of the hardest conversations for any family. However, it can provide peace of mind if everyone understands individual family members’ wishes. If it’s right for you, consider setting aside savings for funeral expenses and having a will written. If this is something you’d like to learn more about, contact us members of Team Rubicon can actually help you create a will. -
Know the types of disasters that can and already have impacted your local area.
One of the reasons to ask this question relates to the type of insurance coverage you’d want to consider getting. Another reason: learning about the environment where you live can help you make better decisions in the rest of these categories. -
Account for individual family members and their unique needs.
Ask yourself and your family to consider how a loved one’s special care needs or challenges could be managed in an emergency. For example, if you have to evacuate, will you need to bring any medications or medical devices? Special preparations for unique situations are important to consider when creating a plan. -
Do you have the proper insurance?
Your insurance should cover the types of potential hazards that could impact your home, which will depend on where you live. It’s rather dry to read through, but always try to read the fine print and ensure you’re fully covered, because the last thing you want to be thinking about as disaster approaches is whether you’ll be covered.
We’re knocking on wood that your disaster preparedness never gets put to the test… but being prepared doesn’t stop here.
Learn about how to prepare for floods, severe wind events (tornadoes, tropical storms, hurricanes), earthquakes and other disasters here.
Bookmark this page and help us spread the habit of preparedness by sharing these tips across your social channels.
