COLUMBIA, Mo. – Natural disasters, like tornadoes and severe storms, are things we don’t like to think about until necessary. But in Missouri, being prepared for spring storm and tornado season is a necessity, according to a University of Missouri Extension emergency management specialist.
Missourians need to understand emergency preparedness is their responsibility. The Red Cross, the state and FEMA are not going to take care of you. They will come to your aid when they’re needed at some point, said Conne Burnham, emergency management coordinator.
Over the past decade, Missouri was hit by 51 climate disasters that caused $1 billion or more in damage, with an average of 4.6 billion-dollar climate disasters per year. These disasters included 39 severe storms, five floods, four droughts and three winter storms. These 51 weather disasters cost the state roughly $15 billion.
One of the most important things you can do for your family is have a family disaster plan that tells everyone in the family what you’re going to do when an emergency occurs.
The plan includes checklists, contact information for doctors, insurance plans, pharmacies, veterinarians and an out-of-state contact.
In case you are impacted, you can call out of your area and can tell them your status, and then other people can call that person rather than trying to call into the disaster scene, which they probably won’t be able to do, Burnham said.
Weather radios should be in every home, church and public gathering place, especially in communities that do not have emergency warning sirens. Most areas rely exclusively on weather radios, she said.
Weather radios can be programmed to broadcast alerts for watches or warnings for a specific geographic area. The battery backup ensures that it will sound even if the electricity goes out.
Like other safety equipment, Burnham recommends testing it regularly to ensure that it will go off when needed.
Finally, families should have a disaster kit that includes the disaster plan and emergency supplies. The kit should be easily accessible, so you can grab and go when there is an emergency. Disaster Supplies Kit
The supplies will allow you to survive for a few days on your own by having the things you need to get yourself settled and back in groove, and then you can move forward and start implementing your plan and recovering from the disaster.
Items in a basic disaster kit should include flashlights, extra batteries, a battery-operated or hand-crank AM/FM radio, a first-aid kit and water.
Work gloves, sturdy footwear, toiletries and tools to turn off utilities are other items that can be included. When putting together your kit, remember pets and people with special needs, including babies, the elderly and those with medical conditions.
Anyone with a special need should go through the process of understanding how vulnerable they are during a hazard like severe weather, Burnham said.
One thing most people forget to include in a disaster kit is money.
You may need access to cash in case there’s something you absolutely need to have. Burnham said. If it is a large-scale event and there is no electricity, it's not going to be possible to get gas out of the ground, money out of the ATM, and credit cards won’t work.
Having a plan in place makes recovery much easier.
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