Disaster Risk Preparedness

Tornados are severe disastrous winds with massive destruction when they occur. My

house is built with the necessary catastrophe preparedness level for such disastrous situations.

This included a basement reinforced with solid walls and situated deep within the foundation of

the house. It contains all the necessary ready-to-eat food supplies that can last the family for up

to one month. This was in preparation for any disaster that may last long, such as flooding. There

are almost 100 gallons of clean water for drinking and sanitation. This would last my family long

enough until help arrives. The electrical connection is adequate for lighting and heating.

A 15-minute safe time is negligible and not enough to gather family members who might

not be near enough. I would gather the family members who are most convenient and direct them

to the basement. After the tornado strikes, the basement would provide the required shelter and

safety. During the 15 minutes, I would ensure that I salvage any critical and expensive assets. I

would park the car in the garage and lock it. I would also lock the house and disconnect the

electrical connection to avoid cases of fires. I would call my family and friends who might not be

aware of the prevailing danger to ensure that they take the necessary precautions.

Disaster preparedness is the measures that are put in place to prepare for and to alleviate

the effects of disasters when they occur. This includes protecting against loss of lives and

destruction of property. However, I am ready for hydrological disasters such as floods and

meteorological disasters like storms than geophysical disasters such as earthquakes and tsunamis.

For example, the basement is well reinforced with concrete and steel bars and cannot collapse

without a high-magnitude earthquake. In addition, the house is built on high ground and hence

protected from flooding. However, my fire preparedness level is low since I live in a densely

forested area, and in case of a wildfire, it would leave massive property damage.