Where were you and your family when Hurricane Ike hit the Houston Gulf Coast in September 2008? Grocery stores were packed, there were long lines at the gas pumps and those around Houston were scrambling. For many, having a family emergency plan would have made the hurricane preparations a much more smooth and thorough process. As a Houston insurance agency our main priority is making sure that you are prepared with flood insurance, but we also want to make sure you and your family have a plan in place that guarantees your safety.
Here are a few points to ponder when creating a family emergency plan:
Choose a point of contact
You may have students in college and summer camp or family on business trips during hurricane season. Decide on a both a local point of contact as well as one outside the storm’s reach. If a true disaster hits your community, you will be thankful to be able to reach out to someone who hasn’t been impacted by the storm.
Decide on an evacuation destination
If you were in Houston area during Hurricane Rita and Hurricane Ike, you will remember the mass exodus during the two days prior to these storms. Know what you’re going to do beforehand and map it out. Will you stay with friends or family? Find a hotel? If you need to find a shelter, note that many do not take pets so plan accordingly.
Have a family conversation
Make sure that the adults and older children in your family are aware of the family emergency plan.
Plan for your pets
As mentioned, many emergency shelters and/or hotels do not take animals so remember to work this into your plan. You also need to provide shot records for your pets.
During Hurricanes Ike and Rita, Dagley’s Houston insurance agents were in overdrive servicing our clients. Although we love assisting our customers, it was so sad to see what many families were going through. Dealing with the aftermath of hurricanes is just part of what it takes to be a Houston insurance agent and we feel like this is really where we can come through for our clients. If you ask any of our Houston insurance agents about what to do to prepare for hurricane season, developing a family emergency plan would be at the top of their list. Make your family emergency plan now!