Page 35 - Perth County Emergency Preparedness Guide

be prepared

INSURANCE AND EMERGENCIES

Check your insurance policy before a disaster strikes to
determine if you have enough coverage and exactly what
types of damage will be covered.

For insurance purposes, make sure you have an accurate
description of your home and an inventory of your
belongings. Take photographs, record serial numbers
and keep copies of receipts to show the value of items. If
an emergency damages your home or possessions, take
immediate steps to protect your property from further
damage and contact your insurance company as soon as
possible.

CHILDREN AND EMERGENCIES

Children, in particular, may experience anxiety and fear after an emergency. Children take
their cues on how to respond to a situation by how the adults around them react. Try to be
calm, reassuring and realistically optimistic about the situation.

• Children may feel powerless and • Encourage children to express
worry that the event will happen themselves through play or
again. drawing.
• Encourage children to talk about • If you have evacuated, try to
the event and their feelings. keep the family together in one
• Listen to their fears and take them place.
seriously. • Provide children with information
• Talk about what happened and at a level they can understand.
what is being done to return life • Hold and hug young children to
back to normal. give them a sense of safety and
security.

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EMERGENCY PREPAREDNESS GUIDE - ARE YOU READY?