September is National Preparedness Month, and our water damage restoration team at Restoration Now! Omaha is proud to have the opportunity to teach our customers what it takes to be prepared in case of any type of emergency. Flash floods can occur in the blink of an eye, creating dangerous conditions for you and your family, and that’s why it’s important to plan ahead for everyone’s safety. In this article, we’ll go over our top recommendations for emergency preparedness. If you have significant water damage after a storm that’s keeping you from living a normal life, Restoration Now! Omaha has the knowledge and expertise to get your home back to its pre-flood state fast.
First Steps for Emergency Preparedness
There are a few things you should keep in mind when preparing for any emergency situation that could result in water damage to your home or other property. First, you should make sure that you’re very familiar with your surroundings (this includes your home and neighborhood) and aware of especially hazardous areas.
Next, take the time to build a family emergency plan before a disaster strikes. This plan should cover every detail of how to evacuate, where to go once you evacuate your home, and where your family members should meet if you get separated.
After you have an emergency plan in place, it’s important to gather supplies for an emergency preparedness kit. When dealing with a flood or other water damage situation (or any other emergency for that matter), the last thing you want to be doing is scrambling around for the things your family needs. Having an emergency kit (both at home and in the car) ready ahead of time allows you to grab one pack and go.
What You Need for a Basic Emergency Kit
When dealing with a water damage emergency, the most important thing is to make sure your family is safe—possessions can be restored and replaced, but people can’t! Here are the main things you’ll need to pack in an emergency kit so your family will be ready to respond:
- Water: You’ll need 3 gallons per person per day (for at least 3 days, and more if the emergency situation lasts longer).
- Food: Again, you’ll need a supply of non-perishable food to last at least 3 days.
- Clothing: Plan for a change of clothing and sleeping bag for each person.
- Communication Supplies: These include a battery- or hand crank-powered radio (don’t forget extra batteries!), as well as a cell phone and charger.
- First Aid Supplies: This includes the everyday necessities for dealing with minor injuries (bandages, ointments, pain reliever, etc.), as well as prescription medication.
- Waterproof Containers: This is an important addition to your kit that many overlook. Waterproof containers can mean the difference between losing and saving all of your important documents in a water damage situation.
Contact Restoration Now! Omaha Today at (402) 502-7277!
There’s no time like the present to prepare a water damage emergency plan and kit for your family. It takes some time to gather these materials, but you’ll be glad to have it when you need it. Once you and your family are safe and the emergency is over, you might return to your home to find some water damage that needs restoration, and in that case we hope you’ll rely on our team to get your life back to normal fast. We offer 24/7 emergency services, so give us a call any time at (402) 502-7277 for a local and professional water damage restoration team that’s always in your corner!