Fires, earthquakes, mudslides, mandatory evacuations. California is continually beset with conditions that can wreak havoc with your life and your property.
If an emergency happened in your community, would you know how to defend your family, home and finances against natural disaster? Families can guard against nature's forces by practicing evacuation plans, developing detailed household inventories and maintaining fire-safe landscaping, according to the Insurance Information Network of California.
Here's a "to-do" list that could make the difference for your family and most of the suggestions make a good preparedness list for your office as well:
Make a complete home (office) inventory and store it in a safe place away from your home (office). Inventories can be supplemented with photos and videos and can even be stored electronically away from the geographic location. Free home inventory software is available at IINC's Web site at http://www.iinc.org as well as an inventory guide in pdf format.
Prepare and practice a family (staff) evacuation plan. Detail escape routes and meeting places in the event that you are separated.
Designate a phone "captain" that your family (staff) can call to report their well-being and locations.
Familiarize yourself with your insurance policies, and keep a copy of them in a safe deposit box or other secure location away from your home (office). Keep handy the pertinent phone numbers for agent representatives and claims offices.
Likewise, copies of all pertinent financial (mortgages, deeds, wills, etc.) and professional credentials (diplomas, board admissions, licenses, etc.) should be stored in a safe deposit box or other secure location.
If you must prepare to evacuate, be sure to collect any financial documents that you may have kept in the home (office) in addition to heirlooms, photographs and other irreplaceable valuables.
If police or firefighters order evacuation, follow their instructions. Your family's (staff's) safety is more important than your property.
Other significant concerns for your planning process should include:
Cash in case banks, ATMs and other sources of money are not available.
Disaster kit for the trunk of your vehicle.
Copies of material in your wallet in case it is lost.
Contact numbers for family, friends and other key business and personal contacts.
Disaster readiness means preparing both physically and financially. Begin now by conducting emergency preparedness meetings at both the business and family levels to plan for potential disaster to mitigate the risks and increase the speed of recovery.
Posts
