Prepare for disasters on a budget: Tips on insurance, supplies, and more

Emergency preparedness trends are usually complex, multi-step lists available in a limited number of languages, and disaster toolkits can be a large and costly investment.

Such barriers are what Steve Kang, director of external communications for the Koreatown Center for Youth and Society, said stand in the way of some communities being prepared as best they can. So, if preparing for an earthquake or other disaster seems too costly or time-consuming, this guide is for you.

Before the disaster

Get insurance

Before you do anything else, Laurie Schumann, resiliency program manager for Enterprise Community Partners, a national nonprofit focused on affordable housing, said you need earthquake insurance.

If you are among the 64.1% of Angelenos who rent, your options for making structural changes to your living space to make it more secure are limited. You can talk with the landlord about seismic improvements to your building, but you are really only in control of what is inside your home. This is where adding earthquake coverage to your tenant policy comes in.

This article is part of the Los Angeles Times Guide to Earthquake Preparation. Full coverage here.

Updated June 17, 2021 | 10:43 AM

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It can protect you if your property is damaged by earthquake. Another insurance policy may seem like a financial burden, but Carlos Martin, senior fellow in the Center for Housing and Urban Policy at the Urban Institute, said it’s one of the most important things you can do for yourself.

The cost depends on the insurance company you choose. The California Earthquake Authority has an insurance calculator that can help you determine the best policy for your needs. Renters average costs can be as little as $12 a month.

emergency supplies

David Eisenman, director of the Center for Public Health Disasters, said people may not see the value of spending money on things they may never use and have to throw out each year.

But you don’t have to shell out $300 for a zombie apocalypse package. Only the necessities are required. And you can eat whatever food you put in your earthquake kit before it expires, so there’s no need to waste it. Just be sure to replace it.

Help your neighbors

Once you’ve finished covering yourself, it’s time to take a look at your community. Social capital, as seismologist Lucy Jones has written, is among the most important things you can invest in.

Connect with your neighbors to find out what they need, said Marie Comerio, a graduate school professor in the Department of Architecture at UC Berkeley. Check the resources available in your area, such as nonprofit organizations or religious groups. What can you do to help support them?

Martin said building a network of resources and supplies can help fill in the gaps when external resources such as state and federal aid are not available. Power lines may be out of order; The roads may be blocked. So what can you do in your immediate area? He said that building this social capital is a powerful way to prevent further shocks and increase the chances of your community resurfacing.

However, he cautioned, “put your oxygen mask on first before helping others.” Make sure you and your family have what you need; If you need help, ask for it. Once you feel secure in your emergency preparedness plan, you can help others.

Programs like Map Your Neighborhood and Community Emergency Response Teams provide free resources that can help you and your community prepare together.

Martin suggested thinking about collecting additional emergency supplies for your neighbors. If everyone makes a simple offer, the whole community can be safer.

Information services

Smartphone apps and social media channels can keep you informed in the event of disaster, but if you don’t have access to these tools, you still have options.

Los Angeles County hosts a site with an interactive map of emergency shelters, evacuation orders, road closures, and more.

If you need resources, 211 LA can find shelters, fundraising sites, and other services by simply entering your location and special needs.

Alert LA County, Notify LA, and Nixle are services you can sign up to receive emergency alerts via a phone call or message.

during the disaster

Thanks to cinema and television, the concept of Big One has been exaggeratedly exaggerated. Although a major earthquake would disrupt much of our daily lives, it wouldn’t explode into the Pacific Ocean or open a fiery crater in central Los Angeles. What it can do is output electricity, which means anything that needs external power will be unusable until the lines are recreated. Debris, mudslides, and other hazards can block roads.

As the ground shakes, the best thing you can do is fall, cover, and grab. Getting out of the house, sitting in the hallway, or sitting next to your bed might sound like good ideas, but they aren’t.

Placing under a sturdy piece of furniture, such as a table or desk, is really the only way to make sure you and your family are safe.

If you are in a place where you cannot be exposed to anything, get down on the floor and cover your head and the back of your neck with your hands and arms.

After a disaster

The recovery process will depend on how well prepared you are. Because people in low-income communities sometimes face more obstacles when it comes to preparing, Martin said, the effects of a disaster are much more felt and the recovery period takes longer.

Schumann of Enterprise Community Partners estimates that “the amount of money spent on redemption is 20 times the amount that could be spent on mitigating and reducing these risks.”

Kang said access to information about recovery resources is also limited.

When a natural disaster occurs, the Federal Emergency Management Agency is often called upon to provide services. While FEMA’s immediate relief services are available to everyone, assistance programs funded through the federal government are available only to those with a Social Security number, Martin said. This means that many people in immigrant communities cannot apply for post-disaster assistance.

Others may be reluctant to reach out for help due to concerns about alerting immigration authorities. The American Red Cross, while working with the federal government, is independent and can provide assistance to anyone in need.

This is where a strong social capital reserve is valuable. Community groups, neighbors, and mutual aid funds can often help meet recovery needs better than an outside group.

While you depend on your community, it will also need to be rebuilt. There are “basic human things” that everyone can do – things as simple as checking in or calling your neighbor, Comerio said.

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