My Natural Disaster Plan

Planning for a natural disaster is an important undertaking, yet many people only make preparations when a disaster is imminent - which is often too late to start preparing. Waiting until a disaster is occurring makes as much sense as deciding to learn self-defense as a mugger approaches - in short, it doesn't make sense to wait for the event to happen. Planning ahead is key.

Planning and preparing for a natural disaster starts by deciding what kind of disasters you are most at risk for. If you live close to a river or creek with many tributaries, planning for a flood might be a smart idea. Likewise, if you are on or near a fault line, planning for an earthquake would be important.

Our family resides in the Philadelphia suburbs. We are not near a volcano, we are not on a fault-line, we are not in a flood-zone and we are far enough from the ocean that a tsunami is highly unlikely. The natural disasters most likely to impact our family would be a blizzard or fire, so that is what we planned for.

In the event of a blizzard, the main concern would be if we lost heat or electricity. Our oil tank is always at least one-fourth full. During winter, the oil level is checked daily. As soon as we reach the 3/8 mark, if our next oil delivery is not already scheduled, we contact our oil provider for a fill. If the oil heater were to fail, we have a wood-insert fireplace. The fireplace wouldn't be much use without fuel, so we keep a few dura-flame logs and plenty of firewood available for emergencies. Lighter fluid and a lighter at kept on hand as well. I am not too concerned with water in the event of a blizzard - it would seem logical that if our water lines freeze up, we could melt snow in a pot on top of the wood stove if necessary.

We have a battery-operated radio with extra batteries; in a true blizzard, the chance that we would lose electricity is high. For light, we do have flashlights and batteries; and failing that, we have candles. Our hope is that by next winter, we will have saved up to purchase an emergency generator.

The next concern would be food. In addition to the usual combination refrigerator-freezer, we have an extra freezer stocked with food and a small pantry area with canned goods - and a manual can opener. Canned foods could be put into a pot and warmed up on top of the wood insert stove if necessary.

Because we have pets (both dogs and cats), we make it a point to always have extra food on hand for them (both canned and dry). In a pinch, the extra cans of tuna we have (packed in water, not oil) can be used for humans and pets alike. Still, while our four-legged family members prefer canned food, they won't starve if they have to eat dry food for a week or two. With input comes output; if a blizzard would prevent us from being able to open the doors to get the dogs outside, we know we can get them to "take care of business" in the garage, away from the living area of the house.

In the event that we find we need to leave our house, such as for an approaching fire, we have spare foldable crates in the garage, ready to put into the car at a moment's notice. This would eliminate having to take the time to fold up the dog's regular crates. I keep extra copies of the dogs vaccinations at work; this way, if my veterinarian can't be reached, I still have proof that the dogs are properly vaccinated.

For individuals considering developing an emergency plan, start by considering what natural disasters you are most likely to be at risk for. If you are on or near a fault-line, you might want to have sterile bottled water available for drinking in case of water line disruptions. If you are in a flood-prone area, consider keeping a change of clothes (including shoes) and a blanket in waterproof sealed bags, in a ready-to-go pack.

Contact your local authorities - both municipal and county - for disaster preparedness tips applicable to your area. They can be a great source of advice. If you are new to a region, ask longtime residents about the types of disasters they remember having encountered; undoubtedly they will have tips to share as well.