Hazards

Hazards come in many flavors. Most of them are unexpected and the best way to handle them is to prepare for them, whether they actually happen or not. For most hazards, it is better to have prepared in vain than to face a hazard for which you have not prepared. Consider the following hazards:

• Financial Hazards - This consists of the following:
• • Unemployment - This probably leads the list of this kind of hazard. Especially in today's world where worldwide economic problems have caused a lot of people to lose their jobs.
  • Loss of Home - Whether people lose their jobs or not, many have lost their homes. For many people, their home is not only where they live, it is their biggest asset, so a loss of the home has a double impact.
• Health Hazards - These consist of illness, injury and death. Health Hazards are usually unexpected and often they are out of the control of the people affected. There are two major financial concerns associated with Health Hazards.
• • Breadwinner - If the primary breadwinner(s) have health issues, it may disrupt the ability for the family to earn income.
  • Medical Expenses - Regardless of who in the family has the health problem, the medical bills can be overwhelming, especially if there is not sufficient insurance to help cover the costs.

FEMA has good descriptions of many other types of hazards and how to prepare for and endure them.

Click on each link to learn what to do Before, During and After each hazard.

• Dam Failure 
• Earthquake
• Fire
• Flood
• Hazardous Material
• Heat
• Hurricane
• Landslide
• Nuclear Power Plant Emergency
• Terrorism
• Thunderstorm
• Tornado
• Tsunami
• Volcano
• Wildfire
• Winter Storm

FEMA provides some online help for you to obtain maps of potential disaster related areas near where you live. Just click this link to learn more about obtaining maps of potential disaster areas.

Since it is highly unlikely that you will have access to this web sit in the middle of your emergency, it might be wise to print the pages concerning the hazards that might affect where you live and keep them in a zippered plastic bag in your 72 Hour Emergency Kit. However, don't just stick the information away for later, instead, read, study and act upon what you learn. In other words, Prepare For Later.

Much of what is on this page was taken from FEMA's site which can be referenced at: http://www.fema.gov/plan/index.shtm