When dealing with disasters it’s not a matter of if, but when, one will occur. During September’s National Preparedness month take the time to prepare and ensure your family is ready if an unexpected emergency happens. Being prepared for when disaster strikes minimizes the impact on you and your family, the community and local businesses.

The Florida Department of Health recommends the following top 10 preparedness tips, all of which can be found in the Florida Emergency Preparedness Guide:

1. Make an emergency plan for your family
2. Put together an emergency supply kit
3. List each person involved in the plan, contact information and label necessary supplies
4. Have enough food and water for at least 72 hours (1 gallon of water per person per day)
5. If evacuating, have a place to go; call ahead and plan your route
6. Designate a point of contact and consider how you will let others know you are alright
7. Carry sufficient medications and a first aid kit with you
8. Make sure the emergency plan includes your pets
9. Take care of yourself: Maintain good physical and mental health throughout the disaster
10. Help children cope with disasters and make sure they understand your emergency plan

The Florida Emergency Preparedness Guide is available in English, Spanish and Creole as well as Large Print. A section specifically for Floridians with disabilities or access and functional needs is also included. In addition, the Department offers public service announcements on children’s preparedness, registering for a special needs shelter, tips on including healthy choices in your emergency supply kit, and preparedness for the hearing impaired at https://www.youtube.com/user/fldoh.

For more information about National Preparedness Month, visit: www.ready.gov/september. The American Red Cross also offers an in-depth look at how to prepare for all types of hazards, visit, http://www.redcross.org/prepare/disaster. To view the Federal Emergency Management Agency’s (FEMA) website in Spanish, log on to http://www.ready.gov/es. In addition, FEMA offers a mobile app that includes disaster safety tips and other information at https://www.fema.gov/mobile-app.

All month long, you can track #natlprep on Twitter for more tips and info about National Preparedness Month. Follow us on Twitter at @HealthyFla and on Facebook. For more information about the Florida Department of Health, please visit www.floridahealth.gov.