National Preparedness Month: Tarrant County urges residents to plan for emergencies

Tarrant County Commissioners recognized September as National Preparedness Month at the Tuesday, Sept. 3, 2019 meeting.

Tarrant County Emergency Management urges residents to use National Preparedness Month, which was founded after the Sept.11, 2001 tragedy, to prepare their homes, businesses and communities for every type of emergency.

During September, various aspects of preparing for disasters will be covered, including how to be financially prepared, making an emergency plan, educating your children and getting involved in your local community.

One of the key issues is being financially prepared for a disaster. Check your insurance policy to learn more about your coverage and deductibles. Ask questions if you are uncertain about your coverage.

Most insurance policies do not cover flood damage. Visit Floodsmart.gov to learn more about obtaining flood insurance and whether your home or business may need coverage.

It is also important to take photos of documents and personal valuables that will allow an insurance claim to be filed quickly after a flood or some other type of natural disaster.

Educate your children about the importance of saving for these types of unexpected events.

If you are unsure about how much to save for a potential disaster, visit the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau website for information on preparing, recovering, and rebuilding after disasters and emergencies. It will help with those calculations.. According to the Federal Reserve, 40 percent of American have less than $400 in savings for unexpected events. Steps to help residents be financially ready are available at https://www.ready.gov/financial-preparedness.