September is National Preparedness Month, a reminder that emergencies do not always come with much warning. Severe storms, wildfires, flooding, extended power outages, fires, and other events can disrupt everyday life quickly.
Preparing for every possible situation may not be realistic, but having a basic plan can make it easier to respond when something unexpected happens. National Preparedness Month is a good opportunity to review your household's emergency plans, supplies, important documents, and insurance policies.
Know the Risks Where You Live
Preparedness starts with understanding which emergencies are most likely to affect your area. Risks can vary significantly depending on where you live.
Residents of one community may be more concerned about wildfires or earthquakes, while others may face hurricanes, tornadoes, flooding, winter storms, or prolonged power outages. Even emergencies such as a house fire or local evacuation can require quick decisions.
Learn about the risks in your area and pay attention to local emergency management information. Signing up for emergency alerts can also help you receive important instructions when conditions change.
Create a Household Emergency Plan
Every household should have a basic plan for what to do if family members are separated during an emergency.
Discuss where you would meet, how you would contact each other, and where you might go if you needed to evacuate your home. Consider identifying both a nearby meeting location and another location outside your immediate neighborhood.
Your plan should also account for children, older family members, people with disabilities, and anyone who may need additional assistance.
Do not forget about pets. Know where you could take them during an evacuation and keep carriers, leashes, food, medication, and other necessary supplies accessible.
Build and Maintain an Emergency Supply Kit
An emergency kit can help your household manage if utilities are unavailable, roads are closed, or you are unable to immediately reach a store.
Depending on your household, useful supplies may include:
- Water and nonperishable food
- Flashlights and extra batteries
- A battery-powered or hand-crank radio
- First aid supplies
- Necessary medications
- Phone chargers and portable battery packs
- Basic tools
- Personal hygiene items
- Pet food and supplies
- Copies of important documents
- Some cash in small denominations
Emergency supplies should be reviewed periodically. Replace expired food, medications, batteries, and other items as needed.
It may also be useful to keep smaller emergency kits in your vehicles, particularly if severe winter weather, wildfires, or other events could leave you away from home for an extended period.
Keep Important Documents Accessible
An emergency can be even more stressful when important information is difficult to find.
Consider maintaining copies of identification, insurance information, important phone numbers, financial information, medical information, and other essential documents in a secure location. Digital copies stored securely may provide an additional backup if physical documents are damaged or inaccessible.
It is also a good idea to keep your insurance agent or agency's contact information somewhere that can be accessed without relying on a single phone or computer.
Create a Home Inventory
National Preparedness Month is also a good reminder to create or update a home inventory.
Walk through your home and record the belongings in each room. Photos or video can help document furniture, electronics, appliances, tools, clothing, and other property. For higher-value belongings, consider keeping receipts, serial numbers, appraisals, or other documentation when available.
Store a copy of your inventory somewhere other than only inside your home. If your phone, computer, or paperwork were damaged during the same event as your property, an off-site or securely stored digital copy may be easier to access.
Review Your Insurance Policies
Preparedness is not limited to emergency supplies and evacuation plans. It can also include understanding your insurance before you need to use it.
Review your homeowners, renters insurance, car insurance, and other insurance policies periodically. Make sure information about your property, vehicles, household, and other relevant details is current.
Pay attention to your deductibles, policy limits, exclusions, and any optional coverage you may have selected. For example, damage caused by flooding is typically handled differently from many other types of property damage and may require a separate flood insurance policy.
If you operate a business, National Preparedness Month can also be a good time to review your business insurance and disaster response plans. Consider how an extended power outage, property loss, equipment damage, or temporary closure could affect your operations.
Insurance policies, available coverage, and requirements vary, so questions about a particular situation should be reviewed based on your individual policy.
Practice Your Plan
Having an emergency plan is helpful, but household members should also know how to use it.
Periodically talk through evacuation routes, meeting locations, emergency contacts, and responsibilities. Make sure everyone knows where emergency supplies are stored and how to shut off utilities when appropriate.
Small preparation steps taken before an emergency can make important decisions easier when time is limited.
Make Preparedness an Ongoing Habit
National Preparedness Month provides a useful reminder each September, but preparedness should continue throughout the year.
Emergency plans change as families move, children get older, pets are added to the household, vehicles change, or businesses grow. Supplies expire and insurance needs can change as well.
Use National Preparedness Month as an opportunity to review what you already have, identify anything that may be outdated, and make a few manageable improvements.
If it has been a while since you reviewed your insurance, contact us. Colonial Insurance Services can help you review your current policies and discuss questions related to your home, vehicles, business, or other insurance needs.
Frequently Asked Questions:
How can I prepare my home and family for an emergency in Midland, North Carolina?
Start by creating a household emergency plan, building an emergency supply kit, and keeping important documents in a secure and accessible location. It is also a good idea to review local emergency alerts and evacuation information for your area of North Carolina. As part of your preparation, review your insurance policies and home inventory so important information is easier to access if an emergency occurs.
What insurance information should I have ready before an emergency?
Keep copies of your insurance policy information, your insurance agency's contact information, and an up-to-date home inventory in a secure and accessible location. Photos, videos, receipts, serial numbers, and appraisals may also help document your property. It is a good idea to review your homeowners, renters, auto, and other insurance policies periodically so you understand your deductibles, policy limits, and exclusions before an emergency occurs.
Can Colonial Insurance Services help me prepare for an emergency in North Carolina?
Colonial Insurance Services can help you review your current insurance policies and answer questions about your home, vehicles, business, and other insurance needs. An insurance review can also help you identify information that may need to be updated and better understand the deductibles, limits, exclusions, and available options within your policies.
