Lisa Pfeifer – OSU Ag Safety and Health Education Coordinator
FEMA launches their “Disasters don’t plan ahead. You can.” campaign for National Preparedness Month. They have may tips to get you thinking about the simple things you can do to get a jump start on an initial needs plan for yourself, family and friends. They break it down into five areas with tips for how to address each one. The following list is how they suggest you start the process:
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Disasters don’t plan ahead. You can. Make an emergency plan today. www.ready.gov/make-a-plan.
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Preparing the family for an emergency is as simple as a conversation over dinner. Get started with tips from www.ready.gov.
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Download a group texting app so your entire crew can keep in touch before, during & after an emergency.
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Practice evacuating in the car with your animals, so they’re more comfortable if you need to evacuate in an emergency.
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Sign up for alerts and warnings in your area.
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Get the @fema app with weather alerts for up to 5 locations:www.fema.gov/mobile-app.
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Sign up for local emergency alerts in your area by searching online.
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Learn your evacuation zone and have an evacuation plan.
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Check your insurance coverage and review the Document and Insure Property guide.
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Make sure you know what your insurance policy covers before an emergency: www.fema.gov/national-flood-insurance-program.
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Plan financially for the possibility of disaster.
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Protect your identity: watch out for fraud and scams, and keep your personal info secure.
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Beware of frauds & scams when seeking disaster assistance. Federal/state workers never ask for/accept money and always carry IDs.
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Financial prep tip: flood-proof important documents by putting them in plastic bags to protect against water damage.
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Keep some cash on hand in case of emergencies.
For more information about OSU Ag Safety, visit http://www.agsafety.osu.edu or contact Lisa Pfeifer, OSU Agricultural Safety & Health, at pfeifer.6@osu.edu or 614-292-9455.