In the event of a disaster, having a preparedness plan is a critical element in helping you and your loved ones out of danger and to a secure, safe place. While Doomsday Preppers might be an entertaining and informative show to watch, the average person’s disaster preparedness plans don’t include building a bunker or eating bugs to survive.  Here, we share 6 easy disaster preparedness tips that will help you prepare for pretty much anything, and the best part is, they are tips you can actually do today.

Keep the gas tank in your vehicle above half a tank at all times

How many of you are sitting at a 1/4 tank (or less) of gas right now? How far will that take you when the power goes out and you’re sitting in stopped traffic for hours? Consider the half-tank mark your empty mark. Fuel sources WILL be scarce during a disaster due to power failures and a run at the pumps. You may also sit in stopped traffic for extended periods of time. Don’t get stranded and be prepared for what may follow!

Keep phones charged and keep chargers in a car emergency kit

Store several chargers for your phones.  We like having a traditional phone charger along with a solar charger that doesn’t rely on batteries. Also, it’s important to remember that communication may be poor or even non-existent due to overloaded networks and possible damage to phone equipment and towers. A smart choice in your disaster preparedness plans would be to consider using a ham radio (Amateur radio). These require special training and licensing to use, however, they can be a valuable tool for communication in a disaster situation.

Keep a CASE of bottled water at the house and in your car

You can survive without food for longer periods of time than you can survive without water. A case of bottled water is inexpensive and can save your life during an disaster.

Have a stash of cash you can grab and take with you

We recommend a minimum of $500 stashed away in a safe place. Cash is king. If the power fails, credit card / ATM machines won’t work and could be out of service for extended periods of time depending on the severity of the event. The more money you can have in your disaster fund, the better. Who knows what you’ll need in a disaster situation.

Have backups of all important documents

Purchase online backups for your data and make sure your online backups are syncing the data and contacts from your home PC and cellphones. Even if you have a backup drive for your home computer, you’ll lose that in a fire or earthquake.  You should ask yourself, what price are you willing to pay to preserve a lifetime of pictures and records? These services are well worth the money and peace of mind.

Have a disaster rendezvous plan

According to FEMA, 60 percent of Amercians have never practiced what to do in a disaster.  While having a disaster preparedness plan won’t make everything sunshine and daises, it will however, help you be prepared and give you the best chance for safety and survival. Predesignate where you will go with family or friends. Talk about it with your family and friends so if you get separated, you all know where to meet. Consider several optional meeting points in case one or more are compromised by the disaster. 

These are simple and easy tips that can help you prepare for many different types of emergency situations. To prepare for more long-term disaster situations, a solar backup generator will provide power for all your home essentials. Imagine having enough power to run your freezer, refrigerator, cooking appliances, well pumps and more! Our systems are designed to provide long term power for your home in any situation. Check out our systems for more information.