Although we were spared a hurricane in 2011, the Houston area certainly learned a thing or two about the unexpected this past year. Nearby we saw the drought impact our neighbors struck by wildfires, in Grimes, Montgomery and Bastrop counties. And elsewhere in the nation we saw tornadoes and hurricanes adding up to the most costly year for natural disasters in US history.
So one very important resolution for 2012 everyone should make involves making yourself and your home better prepared for emergencies. The Federal Emergency Management Administration (FEMA) suggests the following resolutions in that spirit.
- Set a monthly reminder in your calendar to test your home’s smoke alarms – the first of every month in your personal or work calendar can serve as a great reminder to test your smoke alarms.
- Pick up one item for your emergency kit on each of your shopping runs – building your family’s emergency kit doesn’t need to happen in one fell swoop. Pick up canned food, bottled water, a battery-powered radio, flashlight, extra batteries, and other recommended emergency items over the first month or two of the year (it will also spread the cost of building your emergency supply kit).
- Set attainable preparedness goals for each month of 2012 – learning your home’s fire escape routes or remembering your family’s emergency communication plan is easier with regular practice. So during each month of the year, set small goals like finishing your emergency kit, practicing your fire escape plan, reviewing family emergency meeting locations, bookmarking useful websites and mobile websites and learning about local resources in your area.