You can also view Part 1 of Emergency Tips or Part 2 of Emergency Tips.
76. Know when to call the authorities. In any emergency, there is a feeling that someone should be notified. Well, if a hurricane strikes your town there is a good chance that the police already know about it. However, if you see a fire in your office there is definitely cause to call 911. If you suspect a gas leak at your home, you should call the gas company. Know ahead of time what authorities you will notify in any specific emergency. Generally, if you do not know who to call, calling 911 is a good option because they will alert the correct people.
77. If you have to evacuate, prepare your home. If you are told by authorities that you must evacuate your home, you will want to take the following steps. Turn off the utilities, remove as many valuables as possible or hide them well within the home lock every door and window and grab your cell phone, water and a radio at least. If you have time, you will want to pack some clothing – but in an emergency there is not always enough time.
78. If you are involved in a chemical related emergency, use water. Generally, water is the best substance to use if you are exposed to chemicals of any sort. If you are not affected, but are on the scene of a chemical emergency use water to rinse the victims and their eyes for at least 15 minutes. Cover your mouth and nose with what ever you can in order to protect your respiratory system from any harmful fumes and odors.
79. Make a mental note of where the exits are. This is true for all public places, specifically those to which you have never been. Look for exit doors as well as alternative exits from parking areas in order to feel confident of your ability to get away in the event of an emergency.
80. When staying in a hotel, always review that sign on the door. How many times have you ignored that sign on the door containing the emergency exit information? Stop ignoring it – it could save your life in the event of a fire or other problem.
81. If you are building a home in a flood-prone area consider have your utilities installed on the top-most floor of your home. In case of a flood, you will need to be less worried about ruptured utility lines and shutting off your utilities in a hurry. You might also consider moving your utility connections in an already built home for added protection.
82. Get a home inspection. If you live in an area where natural disasters of any sort are common, it would be worth the investment to have a home inspector come in and tell you how you can improve the structure of you home to withstand whatever comes your way.
83. Keep a household inventory. It is always a good idea to know what you have in your home, because in the event of a fire or natural disaster you will need this information for insurance purposes. You should update the inventory every few months and keep receipts with replacement value whenever possible.
84. Consider videotaping your home and possessions. It is becoming very common today to keep a media recording of your home and its contents. You can use still photographs or a video recording. Just be certain to keep these in a safe location, where they will not be damaged by water or fire.
85. Always write down the model number and serial number of electronic devices and computer equipment. This will allow you to accurately report the items contained in your home in the event of an emergency. Recording the serial number is also a good idea in the event of theft.
86. Keep accurate records about your home. If you make home improvements or remodel any part of your home, you will want to have records to show what has been done and the cost of the work. This may affect the valuation of your home by an insurance company in the event of damage. It is also a good idea to have a record of these items should you decide to sell your home at some point.
87. Hire an appraiser. If you have not already done so, you should have your expensive and priceless belongings appraised by a professional in order to determine a replacement value should the items be damaged or destroyed in an emergency.
88. Make sure that you have adequate insurance on your home. It is important to have an insurance policy that will cover at the very least, the replacement value of you home. There are many different types and levels of coverage. Carefully investigate the options to ensure that you have enough coverage and high enough limits.
89. If you are renting, don’t skip the insurance. Many landlords will require tenants to purchase rental insurance. This covers the replacement of the tenant’s belongings in the case of an emergency or fire. The cost is minimal and the investment is definitely worth it.
90. Insure your belongings. Homeowner’s insurance often covers only the structure, therefore you will want to purchase an insurance policy that will cover the replacement cost of your belongings should they be damaged or destroyed. In most cases, the most basic coverage will cover the value of the item and not the replacement value of the purchase price. Ask plenty of questions in order to ensure that if you need to go out and repurchase everything – you will have the ability to do so without worry.
91. Keep your health insurance cards on hand at all times. It is important to always have your health insurance cards at the ready in case you need to be taken to a hospital for any reason. Parents should keep the cards of their children on hand as well, in case of an emergency.
92. If you are moving into a new area, talk to an insurance agent to find out what is commonly excluded based upon the location where you will live. It is common for flood damage to be excluded from homeowner’s policies in flood-ridden areas. Fire insurance is generally a separate policy, and most standard policies will not cover natural disaster (or, Act of God) damage.
93. Set up an emergency financial fund. It is a good idea to establish an emergency fund in a separate savings account. In the event of an emergency you may need to be able to pay for food, clothing and a hotel. Or, you may need to be able to replace your refrigerator due to flood damage. Either way, insurance companies often take weeks or longer to process emergency claims and you are better off being able to carry the upfront costs while waiting for reimbursement.
94. Consider putting together an evacuation box. This is a good way to make sure that you are ready if evacuation is imminent. Use a waterproof box that contains cash, maybe traveler’s checks, medication, important papers and photographs of family members. It should also contain a list of important phone numbers and duplicate insurance cards, or copies. Anything else that you might need should be in this box.
95. Store valuable papers off-site. Many people have rented safe deposit boxes through their bank as a place to safely store records, papers and duplicates of important documents. This is a good place to store insurance policies, your will and a copy of your prescriptions.
96. Know ahead of time what you would take with you. If you are faced with one hour until evacuation during an emergency, you will want to know ahead of time what you will want to grab first. Most likely, you will already have cash and important documents, but you should develop a list of items to grab and their location within the home. It is recommended that you take only those things that cannot be replaced.
97. Make sure that your will is up to date. It’s difficult sometimes to realize that in a natural disaster and other emergencies we put our lives at risk simply by being alive. Therefore, you should always keep your will updated and on file with an attorney. If you are a parent, be certain to include stipulations regarding your children.
98. Consider a savings account with a credit union or bank that is outside of your local area. In the case of a major emergency, local banks will most likely be closed. Therefore, you would be wise to consider a bank account with an institution that will most likely be unaffected by a local emergency. It may take longer to get access to the funds, however at least you will be able to get to them.
99. Keep some of your investments liquid. If you are the type of person to invest your emergency funds, that’s a wonderful way to see your savings grow over time. However, if you need to wait ten days to liquidate an asset you may experience significant problems. Therefore, a money market might be a good idea for at least part of your emergency fund.
100. Know your local area. Even if you are new to a location, it is important to know the area very well. You should have several planned routes for evacuation if necessary and you should know where to go in case of an emergency. Become familiar with where the police and fire departments are located as well as any other businesses or organizations that you may need in case of an emergency.
101. Keep copies of your computerized files. It is important to always have a back up of your computer files in the event of any sort of emergency. Many people no longer keep paper records for their homes and businesses. A good idea is to make a DVD or CD back up every month and to place it somewhere that you can get to it in an emergency. You can place it in your firebox or consider keeping it at your office.
I am the proud owner of Serradinho Blog and have made this my second home. I'm into blogging, downloads, WordPress, meeting and helping others, etc. Basically the internet in general :) Serradinho Web Services is my own company whereby I offer my services to clients. This ranges from web design, website upgrades, theme customizations, support, premium WordPress plugins and many more .....
View all posts by George Serradinho, there might be other posts that interest you.
Comments on this entry are closed.
{ 1 trackback }