September is National Preparedness Month – now is the perfect time to fine tune your disaster plan. Whether for home, school, or business, putting a plan in place ensures everyone knows what to do in the event of an emergency.

As partners in public safety, we understand the importance of having a plan in place that everyone can rely on. Here are three key elements that should be incorporated into every disaster plan to ensure you’re well prepared for any emergency.

Build a disaster kit

We all know the basics of an emergency kit: water, non-perishable food, a flashlight and extra batteries, a first aid kit, medications and copies of important documents. But how often are you keeping track of supplies, making sure your medications are current with the ailments of family members and adding important documents as they become available? Updating supplies is an easy task but is oftentimes overlooked. Keep an accurate inventory.

Create an evacuation plan

Huddle with everyone at your home or business to talk through an effective evacuation plan that gets everyone out of the building quickly and safely, in case of an emergency. Ensure that everyone stays informed if the plan has changed or updated. Solicit ideas and feedback from everyone involved. This will ensure you’re covering all the bases and not overlooking anything critical to your success.

Stay informed and learn how local authorities will notify you during a disaster

Take note of the most reliable source of information in times of turmoil. Is it a news TV channel, radio station or online publication; and make sure you have access to secondary sources just in case of a power outage.

Keeping Heatsheets Emergency Blankets on hand can also ensure that your family stays protected from the elements in any weather condition. Our versatile blankets protect against heat, wind, cold, and rain, while providing hypothermia protection to wearers. They can be used silver side in for cold weather, reflecting up to 90 percent of the user’s body heat back to them. When facing an emergency situation in the heat, Heatsheets can be used silver side out, deflecting heat away from the user to allow the body to stay cool.

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