Disaster Preparedness: Floods, Earthquakes, Fires

This week was Flood Safety Awareness Week.  March 12 to 16, 2012.  Here's a look back at last year's blog on flood safety, and general natural disaster preparedness.  Read below.


Here's our article on whether you really need flood insurance for your home.
Disaster responses from insurance companies.


Need help preparing your evacuation / disaster supply kit?  Click HERE.
Here's our blog on "Bug-Out-Bags" after the 2011 power black-out.



re-print from our blog in 2011:

Image of Flooded roads in Utah
National Geographic

The events surrounding the earthquakes in Japan followed by tsunamis remind us how quickly, and drastically, our lives in California can change in moments.

March 14-18th is Flood Safety Awareness Week. The information provided often applies to all the disasters California can face like earthquakes and wildfires, not just flood.

"Flood Safety Awareness Week, sponsored by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) and supported by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), was created to highlight the causes and consequences of flooding and educate communities on how to prepare for and protect their homes and businesses from the devastating effects of flooding." Source: http://www.floodsmart.gov/

If you're asking yourself, "Why would I worry about flood? I don't live in a high risk area."

Floodsmart.gov reminds us that "Nearly 25% of flood insurance claims come from moderate-to-low risk areas."

"But San Diego?"

Construction and development can change the natural drainage and create brand new flood risks. That's because new buildings, parking lots, and roads mean less land to absorb excess precipitation from heavy rains.

Anywhere it rains, it can flood. A flood is a general condition where two or more acres of normally dry land or two or more properties are inundated by water or mudflow. Many conditions can result in a flood: hurricanes, broken levees, melting snow as we enter spring, outdated or clogged drainage systems and rapid accumulation of rainfall.

"Just because you haven't experienced a flood in the past, doesn't mean you won't in the future. Flood risk isn't just based on history, it's also based on a number of factors: rainfall, river-flow and tidal-surge data, topography, flood-control measures, and changes due to building and development."

Farmers Insurance Agents with the Platinum Elite Group can help you assess your risk and determine the premium for an appropriate policy to protect your investment in your property. See the contact info for a Platinum Elite Team member below.

  

In the meantime, whether you get flood or earthquake insurance to compliment your fire insurance, make sure your family is prepared for any disaster.

Ready.Gov can provide you with specific game plans for preparing for various kinds of emergencies and disasters; everything from Influenza to Radiation Threats.


Click HERE to take the first step.


For specific info for Fires, click HERE.

For specific info for Wildfires, click HERE.

For specific info for Earthquakes, click HERE.

For specific info for Floods, click HERE.

For specific info for Debris Flows & Mudslides, click HERE.

Even for Tsunami, click HERE.

Basically, the steps to any good plan are as follows:

Step 1: Get a Kit Get an Emergency Supply Kit, which includes items like non-perishable food, bottled water, a battery-powered or hand-crank radio, extra flashlights and batteries. You may want to prepare a second portable kit and keep it in your car. This kit should include: Copies of prescription medications & medical supplies (yours and your pets' meds); Bedding & clothing, including sleeping bags & pillows; A first aid kit; Copies of important documents: driver's license, Social Security card, proof of residence, insurance policies, wills, deeds, birth and marriage certificates, tax records, etc.

Step 2: Make a Plan Prepare your family. Make a Family Emergency Plan. Your family may not be together when disaster strikes, so it is important to know how you will contact one another, how you will get back together and what you will do in case of an emergency. Plan places where your family will meet, both within and outside of your immediate neighborhood. It may be easier to make a long-distance phone call than to call across town, so an out-of-town contact may be in a better position to communicate among separated family members. You may also want to inquire about emergency plans at places where your family spends time: work, daycare and school. If no plans exist, consider volunteering to help create one. Be sure to consider the specific needs of your family members. Notify caregivers and babysitters about your plan. Make plans for your pets. Take a Community Emergency Response Team (CERT) class from your local Citizen Corps chapter. Keep your training current.

Purchase the appropriate insurance policy or review your current insurance policy to ensure your home and contents are adequately covered. Visit FloodSmart.gov to learn more about individual risks, explore coverage options, and then find a Platinum Elite Team member in your area.


Step 3: Be Informed Familiarize yourself with terms to help identify the hazards. Learn the causes (perils) that lead to these various emergencies. Begin to eliminate or minimize these threats.

* The content of this blog is for informative purposes only. It does not reflect official standing of any agent, agency, or company mentioned on the blog. Nor is this blog necessarilly an endorsement. Please consult with your insurance, tax, or legal specialist before making any decisions. This blog is purely meant to spark the thought process.