Are You Ready in the Event of an Emergency?

If there's one positive that can come from a tragic event like this mornings tornados in Henderson County, parts of Newburgh, and Harrisburgh, IL, is that we can learn from it. As I mentioned earlier today, my family and I were fortunate that the storm stayed south of I-164 miles away from our home on the north side of Evansville. When we first heard a tornado had touched down south of Mt. Vernon around 5:30am and was heading east toward Evansville, we packed up the kids and made a bee-line for the basement just to be safe. But what if we weren't so lucky? Were we adequately prepared to deal with the aftermath if the storm had torn through our neighborhood instead? Honestly, no we weren't. But thanks to tips from the American Red Cross, we can be.

According to their website, tristateredcross.org, have at least a 3-day supply of food, bottled water, and other supplies you may need in an easy to carry bag in the event you're forced to evacuate your home or if you find yourself trapped inside. Outside of food and water, the Red Cross recommends your emergency kit also contains items such as a flashlight, cash, sanitary supplies such as toilet paper, emergency blankets, and a first aid kit. They also suggest you check your supply every 6 months to discard and replace any items that may have expired.

For more life saving tips including suggestions on creating an evacuation plan and making sure everyone in your family knows what to do in the event of an emergency, check out the interactive video available on the Red Cross website.