A good disaster preparedness kit can be purchased or built from a checklist piece by piece. Either way, it is important to review the contents regularly and customize the contents to fit your family’s needs.
A good disaster preparedness kit can be purchased or built from a checklist piece by piece. Either way, it is important to review the contents regularly and customize the contents to fit your family’s needs.
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It’s a fact of life living in Southern California: whether it’s an earthquake, a wildfire, a flood or some other disaster with long-term impacts, natural and human-caused disasters can strike suddenly and without warning.
It is up to individuals like you to prepare themselves and their families to stay safe for the period of time after disaster strikes and before first responders and emergency services – like the luckywin – can arrive.
Getting prepared may sound difficult or time- consuming, but if you follow these five steps you’ll be able to say “I’m Ready.” in no time at all.
The first step to preparedness is to build or purchase an emergency preparedness kit that includes items such as water, non-perishable food, a flashlight and extra batteries, a battery-powered radio, first aid kit and medications. It’s a good idea to have an easy-to-carry kit with supplies and, if possible, enough food, water and supplies for the whole family to sit tight for 14 days.
Click here to PURCHASE a Red Cross Preparedness Kit.
Click here to DOWNLOAD a preparedness kit shopping list and build your own.
The next step in preparedness is to talk with members of your household about what to do during emergencies. Plan what to do in case everyone is separated and choose two places to meet—one right outside your home in case of a sudden emergency such as a fire, and another outside your neighborhood, in case you cannot return home or are asked to evacuate.Â
Once you have built your emergency kit and made a plan with your household, it’s important to know what to do in the event of different types of disasters. Here is basic information to keep you safe before, during and after the types of disasters you are most likely to encounter in Southern California.
In an emergency situation, you will be the first person on the scene. Make sure at least one member of your household is fully trained to administer CPR and First Aid.Â
Click here to learn about CPR/First Aid Certification options near you
While you wait for the day of your CPR class, or if you can’t take a class right now, you can watch this video and learn how to perform Hands-Only CPR so that you can help deliver life-saving care until professional responders arrive.
This FREE all-inclusive app lets you monitor more than 35 different severe weather and emergency alerts, provides expert advice on how to prepare and respond to disasters and includes a map to help you locate open Red Cross shelters.
Or text: "GETEMERGENCY" to 90999
Take this self-assessment to make sure you didn't miss any of the five steps to preparedness. If you answer every question correctly, you'll receive a free sticker pack to help you tell the world "I'm Ready."
Our online classes make it easy to say "I'm Ready." Let Red Cross instructors answer your questions and walk your household through all the steps you need to take before disasters strike.
For classes in the Central California Region, including Santa Barbara, Tulare, and Ventura County,
For classes in the Los Angeles Region, which includes Kern and Los Angeles County, click here
For classes in the Southern California Region, including San Diego, Orange, Riverside, San Bernardino and Imperial County, click here