Protect Your Family During a Tornado Protect Your Family Tornadoes impact different locations throughout the country. They bring heavy winds and can destroy everything in their path. Trying to plan for a tornado is difficult due to how unpredictable a tornado is. The best way to protect your family during a tornado is to have a plan and emergency kit ready. Here are some other ways to protect your family during a tornado. Be Prepared While these types of storms are unpredictable, there are a few ways to prepare your family. You first want to make sure you have a safe place to go during a tornado. Your children should know where this location is in case they are home alone. In your shelter you should have the following: Fresh batteries and a battery-operated radio or internet-enabled device to listen to the latest news on the storm An emergency kit which should include things like water, non-perishable food, and medication A list of important phone numbers Be Aware of Weather Conditions Knowing the weather for the day or even the week can help you know if bad weather is coming. If you find out a thunderstorm is coming, you should continue to check the weather on your phone, radio, or TV. Listening to the weather will help you know if a tornado is expected. You should also pay attention to certain signs during a thunderstorm. The following weather signs may mean a tornado is coming: Large, dark, low-lying clouds Dark or green-colored sky Large hail A loud roar, like that of a freight train Paying attention to the weather and knowing the signs allows you to better prepare for storm damage. Know Where to Take Shelter While there is no completely safe place during a tornado, there are some places that are safer than others. When finding a safe location consider the following. Go to the basement or an inside room on the lowest floor of your house Avoid windows Get under something that is sturdy, items that are not sturdy could fall over on you or be picked up in the wind Do not stay in a mobile home. If you are in a mobile home find a close shelter that is safe during a storm After the Storm If you experience a tornado, more than likely there will be damage to your home. The best way to keep your family safe the next time a storm comes is to have the damage fixed correctly. Call DC Restoration to have your tornado damage fixed properly. DC Restoration does a great job of fixing all storm-related damages. If you have been through a bad storm, it is time to contact DC Restoration.
Protect Your Family From a Fire Protect Your Family A fire is a scary and an unexpected disaster. It can happen in a blink of an eye, whether from lighting or from leaving a straightening iron on. You want to protect your family and home from this horrible disaster if possible, but how? When it comes to a fire, there are steps you can take to protect your family from fire. Have an Escape Route While you never want to have to use an escape route for a disaster, escape routes do save lives. Do you have one in place? If not, it is never too late to make an escape route. The first step in making a route is drawing your whole home including doors and windows. Once you have drawn out your home, you will want to map out the easiest way out of your house if a fire were to occur. You should always have at least two or three backup routes in case your main route is blocked. After you have a couple of escape routes and your family knows them, it is time to practice. Just like in school, you should have drills. Doing drills at home allows you and your family to feel comfortable with the different escape routes. Do not just practice your escape routes under everyday circumstances. You should also practice getting out of bed and finding your way in the dark. See if You Can Extinguish the Fire Yourself The first thing you need to do after you see flames is to call 911. Once you know 911 is on their way, you need to examine the area to see if you can extinguish part or all of the fire. Small fires can often be extinguished with the help of a normal home fire extinguisher. Always know where your extinguisher is and how to use it. Putting out a small fire as quickly as possible is often the safest way to protect your home and family. Stop, Drop, and Crawl When a fire starts, smoke comes right along with it. If you encounter smoke on your way out, be sure to stop, drop, and crawl. You will first need to stop and cover your nose and mouth with a towel or article of clothing to filter out some of the smoke. Once you have your nose and mouth covered, drop to the floor. The smoke will be less dense near the floor, and the air will be cleaner. After dropping to the floor, crawl until you have cleared the smoke. This process is also a good thing to practice during your family fire drills. Post Fire Fires leave havoc behind. You may not know where to start after a fire. The first step should be to call the professionals at DC Water Restoration. We have 24/7 fire damage restoration services, and we cover fire, smoke, and water damage. Give us a call today if you need help cleaning up after a fire.