Talking about the possibility of disasters may not be pleasant, but the 2024 National Preparedness Month campaign encourages households to "start a conversation" about potential disasters to best protect themselves in the event of an emergency. To best encourage these conversations — in as comfortable and effective a way as possible — Ready.gov suggests the following tips:

• Set aside a time for this discussion when everyone in the home is calm and relaxed.
• Hold the discussions over a set time period so decisions don't feel rushed.
• Talk about the preparation steps and encourage others in the household to ask questions about preparedness that concern them.

As mentioned, it's imperative that emergency preparedness decisions aren't rushed and are, instead, well-tailored to each household's needs and risks. To help facilitate this, Ready.gov laid out the following timeline for integrating emergency preparedness over the course of a year. Their suggested timeline for creating a household disaster plan is:

• Month 1: Sign up for CPR and first aid training
• Month 2: Make and document a personalized plan for all family members in the household.
• Month 3: Start building financial savings, and keep a small amount of cash on-hand in a safe place.
• Month 4: Test the household evacuation and shelter plan by doing a preparedness drill.
• Month 5: Test the family's emergency communication plan.
• Month 6: Safeguard any important documents.
• Month 7: Create a plan with neighbors and community leaders.
• Month 8: Find ways to make the home safer.
• Month 9: Make sure everyone in the household knows where to go during different types of possible disasters.
• Month 10: Assemble or update the household emergency supply kit.
• Month 11: Get involved in the community to better provide and receive support before, during or after a disaster.
• Month 12: Document and insure the house and property, and purchase flood insurance or any other relevant coverage.

In the slideshow above, we'll look at eight essential preparedness steps households should take in order to protect themselves when emergencies arise, courtesy of Ready.gov.

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