by Mike Colpitts 
Protecting a home from disaster is one of the wisest moves any homeowner or renter can do to protect their family and themselves. Many actions can be taken far in advance to protect your home from disaster and potentially save lives.
Do a regular check on safety equipment, including a test on smoke detectors annually, and make sure fire extinguishers are available nearby and that they work properly. Disaster planning is more important to consider than ever before.
In newer homes and apartments do an annual system check on sprinklers to make sure they are operating correctly.
Establish a point of assembly for your family in case of a fire or emergency so that it will be easy to take an inventory of everyone’s condition. Meeting outside a home or apartment in a pre-determined location will help everyone feel better about the situation. Emergencies happen in life and the more orderly things can be helps everyone feel better about their situation.
Remember going through fire drills in elementary school? Most of us did as children. Doing the same thing at least twice a year is recommended by disaster planners to aid families and remove the tensions and fears in case of an emergency.
Most of us don’t post things on the walls of our homes, but posting an evacuation plan in the garage or utility room and making it a regular part of parenting is recommended to keep family’s healthy and more relaxed in case of a fire or other emergency. Point it out to children and go over the plan. It could save their lives.
Perform regular safety inspections. Disaster planning is vital for every family. Evacuation and emergency response plans help ensure all tenants know how to safely navigate life-threatening events. In this new era of climate change flash floods are killing more people than ever. Consider whether a waterway near your home or living space could pose a danger. Canals and rivers rise in hurricanes and flood areas that have never seen such high water.
Small ponds and rivers can pose dangers never considered before in all areas of Florida so considering options to get out of a home safely without anyone being injured is vital. People generally don’t like to consider many of their options in case of a disaster, but they are an increasingly important part of our environment.
Making sure to protect your home from disaster is paramount. A little advance planning and consideration can do a lot to help people when a disaster strikes.
Summer months present lots of opportunities for something to go wrong at a multifamily property or family home. Drownings occur in backyards every season. Barbeques and fire pits get out of hand and start fires, damaging homes and injuring family members.
It’s important for property owners and real estate managers to take responsibility for helping tenants just like it is for parents to safeguard their families. Taking actions in advance and just considering options in a short conversation with family members can make the difference between having a great summer season where all kinds of activities are enjoyed or a trip to the emergency room. Disasters happen every day and none of us want to be a part of them.
Safely navigating through these steps can make your home a safer place to live so that the summer heat doesn’t turn into a summer emergency.