Preparing for an Emergency: Keeping Your Family Safe During Wildfires and Other Natural Disasters

The wildfires raging in the western U.S. are a stark reminder of just how important it is to prepare for natural disasters. At the time this article was written, nearly 200 wildfires had sparked and spread across nine states, including California and Oregon, and those fires continue to spread.

At Harmony Communities, we want to do everything in our power to keep our residents safe. This includes employing professional groundskeepers to maintain landscaping and mitigate the risk of fires spreading, as well as providing our residents with information to help them prepare for and reduce their risk of damage to their home from fires and other emergencies. For a list of home maintenance steps you can take to prepare for a natural disaster, click here.

In addition to preparing your home and property, there are several steps residents can take to prepare their families in case an evacuation is required.

Three Steps to Prepare for an Emergency Evacuation:

1. Sign up for alerts through your local municipality and download local news/weather apps to your phone to receive notifications.

Your local electric company likely maintains contact lists in case they need to notify residents of power shut-offs. Contact them to ensure your mobile phone number and email address are up to date. In addition, your county may offer public alert systems via text, phone call, or email. Visit your local county government’s website to sign up for these alerts.

Many local news and weather apps also feature alert systems that can notify you when severe weather is anticipated near your home and/or your last known location. Be sure your notification settings are turned on so that you receive these alerts.

2. Have an escape plan for your family.

Make sure your family knows how to safely evacuate the home in case of an emergency and establish a place where you will reunite. Keep in mind that in emergency situations, cell towers can be overloaded so you can’t always depend on this method of communication.

3. Prepare an emergency supply kit.

If you do have to evacuate quickly, an emergency supply kit will include the necessary supplies to help keep your family safe. An emergency supply kit should include items like a flashlight and batteries, a first aid kit, nonperishable food, medications, and more. For a complete list of what you should include in your emergency supply kit, download our free printable.

Safety is paramount at Harmony Communities. In addition to supplying adequate lighting, improving roads, and maintaining landscaping to improve the safety of our communities. we have an emergency phone that is answered 24 hours a day. If any resident needs assistance, please contact (209) 670-6264.

Finally, the importance of homeowners’ insurance can’t be overstated, as it can provide coverage for your home and property in the event it is damaged or destroyed. You can find additional information on homeowners insurance for mobile homes in California here.

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At Harmony Communities, we feel strongly that each resident has a sense of home. That they come home from work and feel pride in their environment and in their place in the greater community. That families are comfortable raising children in our neighborhoods, and that couples and singles know that they belong to something bigger than their four walls. In other words, we seek to create harmony within each community, making our communities not just passable, but peaceful, safe, functional, and beautiful.