Disaster Preparedness Tips

During a single day in February 2008, an estimated 87 tornadoes touched down in the southeastern U.S. killing 57 people. In June, major flooding across the Midwest killed at least 24 people and injured another 148. More carnage came last September when Hurricanes Gustav and Ike killed at least 164 people from Texas to Florida.

Hurricanes, wildfires, floods, earthquakes and tornadoes contributed to making 2008 one of the most devastating years for natural disasters on record and many climatologists predict a rise in such events in years to come.

While it is impossible to stop a natural disaster, it is possible to better prepare yourself and your family before disaster strikes.

"Planning and execution are key steps to keeping your family safe during a disaster,” said Georgia Eddleman, vice president of customer care for ADT Security Services. “By taking the time to put an emergency plan in place now, your family will be better prepared when every second counts."

To help families reduce their risk of injury or even death during or after a natural disaster, Eddleman and ADT recommend the following life-saving disaster preparedness tips:

  • Assemble a disaster supply kit. The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) recommends filling a supply kit with at least a three-day supply of non-perishable food, water, first aid supplies, a battery-powered radio or television, a flashlight, extra clothing and blankets, matches, photocopies of credit and ID cards, essential medications and any other items to meet your family's unique needs. Store supplies in a waterproof, easy-to-carry container, such as a plastic tub with handles.
  • Pick two safe meeting places. Choose a safe meeting place outside your home in case of a sudden emergency, such as a fire. The Red Cross also recommends choosing a location outside your neighborhood, in case you cannot return home or are asked to evacuate. Having predetermined meeting places will save time, reduce confusion and help you confirm everyone has safely evacuated.
  • Know how to shut off your home's natural gas, electricity and water supplies. Natural gas leaks and explosions are responsible for a significant number of fires following disasters; water also becomes a precious resource after many disasters. All adult and teenage household members should learn how to shut off the natural gas, electricity and water at main valves and circuit boxes.
  • Consider the use of a portable generator. Portable generators can be crucial when temporary power is needed, but they can also be hazardous. According to the Consumer Product Safety Commission, portable, gasoline-powered generators are a common source of unintentional carbon monoxide poisoning after power outages associated with natural disasters such as hurricanes. Never operate portable generators indoors, in garages, or outside near doors, windows, or vents of a home. Consider installing a monitored carbon monoxide alarm, which can be crucial in monitoring for dangerous levels of CO and other harmful gasses. It is always best to choose an alarm provider that offers battery backup in case of power failure and one with fully redundant monitoring centers in case one center is affected by a disaster.
  • Choose an out-of-area contact for all members of the family to call in case of disaster. This contact can relay messages between family members should they become separated. The selected person should live far enough away that he or she would not likely be affected by the same event. Remember that during a disaster, local phone networks can overload and/or crash due to a large number of calls. It may be easier to make a long distance phone call than to call across town.

Featured

  • AI to Help Resolve Non-Emergency Calls Across Utah and Decrease 911 Caller Wait Times

    The Utah Communications Authority (UCA), which oversees the state’s next generation 911 technology services, recently announced that public safety answering points (PSAPs) throughout the state plan to implement Motorola Solutions’ Virtual Response technology to automate the receipt and resolution of 10-digit non-emergency line calls in Utah with the help of AI. Read Now

  • Report: 2025 Video Surveillance Market Set to Grow After Small Decline in 2024

    Novaira Insights has unveiled its latest report, “World Market for Video Surveillance Hardware and Software – 2025 Edition.” The research indicates that the global market for video surveillance hardware and software experienced a slight decline of 0.3% in 2024. This performance fell short of previous forecasts, primarily due to a significant decrease of 7.8% in the Chinese market. Conversely, the rest of the world saw a growth of 4.9%. The global market for video surveillance equipment was estimated to be worth $25.0 billion in 2024. Read Now

  • Report Reveals Local Governments Face Surge in Ransomware Attacks with Minimal Resources

    KnowBe4, the cybersecurity platform that comprehensively addresses human risk management, recently released new research highlighting the critical cybersecurity challenges facing state, local, tribal, and territorial (SLTT) governments. The report details how government organizations have become prime targets for cybercriminals while simultaneously facing severe resource constraints. Read Now

  • Video Surveillance Trends to Watch

    With more organizations adding newer capabilities to their surveillance systems, it’s always important to remember the “basics” of system configuration and deployment, as well as the topline benefits of continually emerging technologies like AI and the cloud. Read Now

  • New Report Reveals Top Trends Transforming Access Controller Technology

    Mercury Security, a provider in access control hardware and open platform solutions, has published its Trends in Access Controllers Report, based on a survey of over 450 security professionals across North America and Europe. The findings highlight the controller’s vital role in a physical access control system (PACS), where the device not only enforces access policies but also connects with readers to verify user credentials—ranging from ID badges to biometrics and mobile identities. With 72% of respondents identifying the controller as a critical or important factor in PACS design, the report underscores how the choice of controller platform has become a strategic decision for today’s security leaders. Read Now

New Products

  • Luma x20

    Luma x20

    Snap One has announced its popular Luma x20 family of surveillance products now offers even greater security and privacy for home and business owners across the globe by giving them full control over integrators’ system access to view live and recorded video. According to Snap One Product Manager Derek Webb, the new “customer handoff” feature provides enhanced user control after initial installation, allowing the owners to have total privacy while also making it easy to reinstate integrator access when maintenance or assistance is required. This new feature is now available to all Luma x20 users globally. “The Luma x20 family of surveillance solutions provides excellent image and audio capture, and with the new customer handoff feature, it now offers absolute privacy for camera feeds and recordings,” Webb said. “With notifications and integrator access controlled through the powerful OvrC remote system management platform, it’s easy for integrators to give their clients full control of their footage and then to get temporary access from the client for any troubleshooting needs.”

  • Connect ONE’s powerful cloud-hosted management platform provides the means to tailor lockdowns and emergency mass notifications throughout a facility – while simultaneously alerting occupants to hazards or next steps, like evacuation.

    Connect ONE®

    Connect ONE’s powerful cloud-hosted management platform provides the means to tailor lockdowns and emergency mass notifications throughout a facility – while simultaneously alerting occupants to hazards or next steps, like evacuation.

  • Unified VMS

    AxxonSoft introduces version 2.0 of the Axxon One VMS. The new release features integrations with various physical security systems, making Axxon One a unified VMS. Other enhancements include new AI video analytics and intelligent search functions, hardened cybersecurity, usability and performance improvements, and expanded cloud capabilities