Emergencies can strike without warning, leaving you and your family in harm’s way. Whether it’s a tornado, hurricane, earthquake, fire, pandemic, or other disaster, it’s essential to be prepared in advance to protect yourself and those you care about. Here we provide some must-have survival skills that everyone should learn to cope with the threat of emergencies.
What are some basic survival skills everyone should know?
Before an emergency strikes, it’s important to learn basic survival skills necessary to respond to the situation. Such skills include:
- First Aid: Being equipped with basic first aid knowledge and supplies will save many lives. Knowing how to treat minor burns, scrapes, and cuts and administer CPR is invaluable.
- Fire safety and building: Fire safety is one of the most important basic survival skills. Learning to light and extinguish campfires safely, building fires in various weather conditions, and using fire and smoke signals is essential knowledge.
- Finding shelter: This essential skill is more difficult than it may look. Finding the right type of shelter in bad weather is vitally important, as are the ability to construct and secure shelters.
- Emergency communication: In the event of an emergency, communication with those outside your immediate area is paramount. Knowing how to use two-way radios and other analog communication devices is important.
- Navigation: Having knowledge about the area you’re in and the terrain can save you precious time in an emergency. Understanding the use of a compass, mapping, and navigating with the stars will help you to survive.
- Water collection and purification: One of the most important skills is learning how to collect, transport, and filter/purify water. Being dehydrated in an emergency can lead to death.
- Identifying edible plants and animals: Knowing which plants, fruits, and animals around you are safe to eat is essential. Mastering the art of foraging will help you to survive in an emergency situation.
Other important survival skills include knowing how to use and identify dangerous tools, such as a knife and an axe, as well as basic survival first aid.
How can I prepare for a natural disaster?
Natural disasters can strike at any time and leave you unprepared. You can greatly reduce the risk of being caught off-guard by learning about the potential disasters in your area, devising a plan for each possibility, and stockpiling supplies in case of an emergency. Start by creating an emergency plan with your family and discussing the procedures you will take if the situation arises. It’s important to know how to respond, what supplies to have on hand and where to go in case of an emergency.
Important Supplies:
- A source of light like flashlights and battery-powered lamps
- Clean water and filtration systems
- A first aid kit and supplies
- Non-perishable foods such as canned goods and proteins
- A radio to monitor emergency updates
- A list of emergency contacts and phone numbers
- Sturdy and waterproof shoes or boots
- A portable tool kit with items such as a knife, hatchet and duct tape
- Further emergency items such as a whistle and/or flares
Make sure each member of your family has important documents such as birth certificates, passports, and medical records in a safe place. A document safe or waterproof pouch with a copy of these documents is ideal.
Make sure your home is safeguarded against natural disasters. Have your home inspected for safety by an engineer. Install the right kind of roofing, windows, and other materials to protect your home from fires, floods, wind, and other disasters. Additionally, install hurricane shutters, prepare a home safety kit, and purchase flood insurance.
What are some emergency procedures I should have in place?
In the event of an emergency, having a plan in place can be the difference between life and death. Make sure everyone in your family knows the basic steps for emergency procedures for events such as a fire, flood, tornado, or earthquake.
The first step is preparing for an emergency: Be sure you have a family emergency plan in place, emergency supplies, and emergency contacts on a list.
If a disaster strikes, the next step is ensuring safety. Ensure everyone is safe, checking for injuries and accounting for all family members. Know the evacuation routes and exits of your home and the emergency shelters in your area.
The third step is staying safe. Stay away from fallen powerlines, toxic fumes, and fire. Shut off gas and electricity and protect your home.Put up sandbags, cover windows, and turn off all appliances. Tune into local news sources, be ready to follow instructions, and stay informed.
Fourth, in the event of an emergency, you may need to leave your home. Evacuate immediately to avoid the danger and head for a safe location. Have a family emergency plan and make sure everyone knows the meeting place ahead of time.
The last step is recovery. Make sure you’re safe and protected before returning home, assess and document any damage, and consider filing a claim. Make sure to check for structural and electrical damage and clean up toxic spills as soon as possible. Follow all safety protocols to protect yourself and other family members.
How can I stay safe in a crisis situation?
Staying safe in a crisis situation requires the right skills and the right mindset. It’s important to remain calm, stay informed, follow protocols, and remain vigilant in protecting yourself and those around you. Additionally, ensure that you are physically fit and healthy and practice physical self-care in the event of an emergency.
When faced with a disaster situation, it’s important to remember that actions speak louder than words” and to remain proactive in your safety plan. Be sure to have the supplies on hand, understand the local protocols and procedures, and know the evacuation routes and where to find safety.
It’s also essential to practice proper hygiene. Disasters can result in the spread of disease and illness, so it’s important to keep yourself and others healthy. Wash your hands regularly and often, eat safely, keep your living and eating areas clean, and get proper medical attention if needed.
Conclusion
When facing an emergency situation, it’s vital to be prepared and have the right skills and knowledge to protect yourself, your family, and those close to you. Keep all necessary supplies on hand, stay informed about potential disasters, develop safety protocols for family members to follow, and practice physical self-care and proper hygiene.
References
American Red Cross, Emergency Preparedness – Disaster Safety Tips. https://www.redcross.org/get-help/how-to-prepare-for-emergencies/types-of-emergencies/disaster-safety-tips.html, 2020.
FEMA, FEMA published guidelines for physical distancing. Available at https://www.fema.gov/physical-distancing-guidelines, 2020.