Expect the worst at Ready.gov

Free help with disaster preparedness

Funnel cloud forming? River rising? Wildfire burning?

Whatever the disaster, there's a plan at Ready.gov, the "Ready America" website that always expects the worst.

With meteorologists predicting unusually high numbers of tornadoes, hurricanes, and floods in 2011, it's a good time to assemble a personal disaster plan, just in case. (Financial preparedness also is important. See list on the right.)

Ready America was launched by Homeland Security after the September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks in New York and Washington, D.C. In partnership with the Federal Emergency Management Agency, the American Red Cross, and others, Ready American urges citizens to take three basic steps before a disaster strikes:

Get an emergency supply kit.
Make a family emergency plan.
Be informed about different types of emergencies.

Ready.gov offers a plan for more than 20 different types of disasters, from biological outbreaks to winter storms. It even tells you what to do if you're in a high-rise building or traveling in a moving vehicle.

Emergency kit

A partial list of items recommended for your basic emergency kit:

Water
Food, can opener
Radio and batteries
Flashlight and batteries
First aid kit
Whistle to signal for help
Dust masks
Most towelettes, garbage bags
Wrench or pliers to shut down utilities
Local maps
Cell phone and batteries, charger
And more...

For details on quantities of each item, as well as additional items that may be critical to your family, please consult the complete list at Ready.gov.

Want to know more?

You can download instructions for emergency preparation and watch videos at Ready.gov. Or, for a complete list of links to government and nonprofit disaster assistance organizations, visit www.ready.gov/america/other/links.html

Resources

Prepare your finances

Quick access to money is critical when a disaster strikes. Here are four steps to financially prepare for the unexpected:

Keep an emergency fund of $500 or more. STCU's best rate is the First5 Savings Account, which is insured by the NCUA.
Keep important documents and records safe from fire, flood, and theft. Ask about renting an STCU safe deposit box.
Keep a credit card handy for emergency payments or cash. Even if you never need to use your STCU Visa^® Credit Card, it's good to know that most hotels, stores, and ATMs will accept it.
Do business with a local insurance agent who will be available in a disaster. To get started, contact Andre-Romberg Insurance, a local STCU partner that will research your best rate for home, auto, and business.