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Are You and Your Family Prepared for an Emergency?

Photo: aleksandr yakovlev, Getty Images

This KSL CrimeWatch article is sponsored by XFINITY Home from Comcast. XFINITY Home provides a total home security solution that includes 24/7 professional monitoring, access from anywhere, even on our TV with X1 and more! Learn more about smarter home security today!

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If the unthinkable happened right now and you had to evacuate, would you have everything ready to go? Or would you be struggling trying to figure out what to take with you? What do you need to know to prepare for an emergency? And would you be prepared to leave your home? Former SLCPD Chief Chris Burbank wants you to be prepared. Chief Burbank talks about some of the things you can do to prepare for an emergency.

How You Can Be Prepared for an Emergency

In an emergency do you know what you should have? How can you and your family be prepared for an emergency? Ready.gov, the Department of Homeland Security’s campaign designed to get Americans ready for an emergency situation suggests including the following supplies in a kit:

• Water – one gallon of water per person per day for at least three days, for drinking and sanitation
• Food – at least a three-day supply of non-perishable food
• Battery-powered or hand crank radio and an NOAA Weather Radio with tone alert
• Flashlight
• First aid kit
• Extra batteries
• Whistle to signal for help
• Dust mask to help filter contaminated air and plastic sheeting and duct tape to shelter-in-place
• Moist towelettes, garbage bags and plastic ties for personal sanitation
• Wrench or pliers to turn off utilities
• Manual can opener for food
• Local maps
• Cell phone with chargers and a backup battery

Ready.gov has a wealth of additional information. Anything from where you should be keeping your kits, to ways you and your family can plan for the worst.

Have a Meeting Place in Mind

One of the best ways you and your family can plan is by deciding as a family where you will meet in the event of an emergency. This location needs to be away from tall buildings and away from power lines. A place as close as the curb of your house works great. Or even pick a local school to meet at.

What Meets Your Needs?

When you are putting together your emergency kit or kits, consider your budget. Which of the items that Ready.gov recommends will need to be in your kit? Will you need everything? Will your family need everything? Or will they need more than what is suggested? If anyone if your family takes medication, you’ll need to be prepared for that. If someone in your family has severe dietary restrictions, you’ll need to set aside food in particular for them. Even something as subtle or mundane as glasses, or contacts need to be taken into consideration. You should be prepared to spend a full 24 hours away from not only luxury items, but from even everyday items. So be prepared to take the absolute necessities with you.

Make Sure the People You Love are Out of Harms Way

Lastly, the most important thing you should always make sure to keep safe is people. The people you love can’t be replaced. All of the items in your home, as sentimental as they may be, can be replaced. People can’t. Always make sure the people you love are taken care of first. Get prepared for an emergency before it happens.