If you didn’t already know, September is Emergency Preparedness Month! This is an important time to evaluate your home and family’s protocol during an emergency and make a plan. Middle Tennessee can often be the center of major thunderstorms, flooding, winter storms and other natural disasters. For this reason alone it’s important to consider what you and your family need to do in an emergency and ensure you have all the necessary tools on hand should you need them.
Thankfully, Nashville has a great planning system in case of a severe storm, but sometimes that’s not the only thing that helps. There’s no better time than now to sit down with your family and discuss what your family plan might be should you need it. Here are three key factors our arborists recommend when planning and preparing for emergency preparedness:
How to Prepare for Landscape Emergencies
Have Emergency Service Numbers
Our team of tree care experts always recommend having our number on speed dial. Our emergency tree service experts can take care of large, fallen branches and trees. The trees might be blocking roadways or the branches might’ve fallen on a power line. Whatever, the case, make sure you have our number on hand should you experience a tree care emergency. In addition, be sure to have a list of other emergency service numbers such as Nashville’s Electric System, water company, Red Cross and many others. We also recommend writing down these numbers on a sheet of paper and having next to your landline phone or posted on your refrigerator. This way, you have the numbers ready no matter what happens. You never know if you might lose cellular service or run out of battery.
Gather an Emergency Kit for the Home
An emergency kit for your home or business is one of the best ways to stay prepared during a storm. Take a duffel bag or suitcase and compile items you’ll need during a storm. Your emergency kit could include items such as blankets, batteries, flashlights, canned foods and much more. For a full list of items, visit the Red Cross website or the National Weather Service website. And don’t worry! Our arborists emergency tree service crew has an emergency kit full of supplies too!
Put Together Shelter Supplies and an Evacuation Plan
Should the weather get bad enough and you need to evacuate, be sure to have a pack of shelter supplies and an evacuation plan ready. Research where your closest shelter is located beforehand and have a pack of supplies ready so you don’t waste too much time. Map out an evacuation plan with your family in case you are separated during a storm. Don’t forget that your plan should also include our emergency tree services. This way, if branches or trees fall in the roadway, an arborist can come quickly to remove the obstruction allowing you to get safely to a shelter.
Always be prepared! Having an evacuation plan, the appropriate phone numbers (including Parke’s emergency tree service) and kits for the home and shelter are important to ensure safety during a storm. Take the remainder of this month to prepare for an emergency. Want to talk tree care or landscape with us? Call an arborist for more information!
Writer of this blog – Gdweblab