Posted on September 16, 2005

Civil Society

Hurricanes, tornados, earthquakes, floods, and blizzards can occur with little warning, disrupting power, communications, transportation, and lives for days. In Preparing for Disaster: 3 Step Plan (2 pages, PDF), the Harvard Medical School emphasizes the importance of planning ahead for such disasters. Initial steps include setting aside an emergency supply of items such as bottled water, canned foods, and disposable eating utensils, along with a flashlight, a battery-operated radio, extra batteries, and dust masks. The pamphlet also recommends that you create a portable supply kit of the most-needed items, in the event you have to evacuate your home, and that you develop an emergency plan, including identifying evacuation routes and shelters in your community and near your workplace, and run through it with family members on a periodic basis.