By W. Michael Thomas CFP, CLU, CH.F.C., R.F.P.

How ready are you for a crisis, emergency or disaster? These crisis situations never come at a convenient time. They happen without warning. Surviving the crisis will depend on knowledge, planning, training and the number of times we practice a plan.
To test your own personal preparedness, write down the answers to the following questions:

• Do at least two people in your household/family know first aid? Whose lives are they going to save?
• Do all the adults know how and where to turn off the water, gas and electricity in your house?
• Have you posted all local emergency numbers by the telephone(s)?
• Does your household have an evacuation plan?
• Do you have an emergency plan?
• Is there a family/household reunification plan?
• Do your children know the plan and carry that information?
• Can your family go camping for five days without notice, and include medications and other specific needs?
• If you need to evacuate, can you carry your kit?
• Do you have survival supplies and a first aid kit at work, in your car, and at home?
• Do you and your household know how and when to use a fire extinguisher?
• What are the six steps you should take before you use a fire extinguisher?
• Do you have a battery-powered radio immediately available to listen to local emergency broadcasts?
• Have you and your family undertaken the planning cycle, done the training, and run the drills so that you are ready to deal with an emergency, or a disaster?

Another important practice is to always have working smoke detectors. Statistics show that installing a smoke detector on every level of your house, ensuring that they are cleaned and changing batteries at two specified times a year, will double your chance of surviving a fire.

If you have any questions please contact Michael Thomas at the address below. W. Michael Thomas is a partner with The Investment Guild – endorsed provider of the HortProtect Group Insurance Program and is a director of Ontario Horticultural Trades Foundation.

The Investment Guild
HortProtect Insurance
1-800-459-8990
11 Allstate Parkway, Suite 100
Markham, ON L3R 9T8
www.hortprotect.com
info@hortprotect.com