We are living in unprecedented times. Natural disasters have been increasing in frequency for several years now, and the Covid pandemic brought us into a world filled with all kinds of uncertainty. Las Vegas has seen its share of major weather events in recent years as well.
Just last month, a flash flood hit the Vegas strip, leaving two people dead and, among may high-profile casino flooding stories, forcing table games to be stopped at Planet Hollywood Resort because of a leaking ceiling. The National Weather Service has called this summer “the most restless monsoon season in Las Vegas” in a decade.
Flooding is ironically the most dangerous natural disaster risk in the desert town of Las Vegas. Because of the way the city is built, a seemingly low 3 to 4 inches of rain falling in one storm to cause havoc. Regardless of where you live in the Las Vegas Valley, taking precautions against the effects of flash flooding is a wise thing to do.
Las Vegans also need to be aware of other events that could cause an emergency, such as wildfires, earthquakes, and supply chain issues that continue to endure in the wake of the Covid outbreak. September is National Preparedness Month, and this is a good time to look at some of the important things that homeowners should do to prepare for natural disasters and emergencies.
Expect the Unexpected: Preparing for an Emergency in Las Vegas
No longer can we assume that because we live in a nice suburban neighborhood in the US, it “can never happen here”. An estimated one out of every 10 residential properties were impacted by a natural disaster in 2021 and we now realize that anything can happen in these uncertain times.
Rather than panic over the possibility that natural disasters and other types of emergencies might happen, the wise response is to prepare for natural disasters and be ready for them. Here are some of the essential steps to take in order to ensure that you are prepared for an emergency:
Set Up Local Alerts
Set up your phone to receive emergency alerts and notifications if a disaster is about to strike in your area. If you have an iPhone, you can install a free, all-hazard app created by the Red Cross. For Android users, PulsePoint Respond is a good comprehensive emergency alert app. If you are a business owner with employees, you may also want to consider a service such as LiveSafe that will blast out emergency alerts to your entire team.
Check Your Insurance Coverage
Long before any disaster strikes, it is a good idea to review your homeowner insurance policy to see what coverages you have. Most standard policies do not include coverage for earthquakes and floods, and as we have talked about, the Las Vegas area is very susceptible to flash floods. Earthquakes are rarer, but they can also happen in this area.
Consider adding special coverages to your insurance policy to protect you in case of natural disasters like earthquakes and floods. If you had to choose between one of the two, flood insurance should be your priority for the reasons we have discussed.
Create an Escape Plan
When a natural disaster or another type of emergency strikes, the first impulse for most humans is to panic, especially if there is no plan in place for what to do if this happens. This is why it is very important for your family to put together an action plan for when an emergency hits.
Create a designated route of escape if you have to evacuate your home, and have a backup option as well. It is also advisable to designate a couple of different meeting places outside the home – one nearby and one a little further away but still in your neighborhood where you will gather and decide what to do next.
Practice your escape plan at least a couple of times a year, just as you practiced fire drills when you were in school. The more frequently you are able to practice for an emergency, the smoother things will go if/when one actually occurs.
Know Where You Will Go During an Emergency
Get familiar with shelters or other places in the area where you would be instructed to go if there was a natural disaster or another type of emergency in your hometown. Find out where your city’s evacuation centers are located and keep updated on these as they sometimes change venues. Also be sure to identify other places you could go, such as the homes of family members or friends or your local church.
Create an Emergency Kit
Tp prepare for natural disasters, you should have an emergency kit with everything that you will need to take with you if you have to evacuate your home. Here are some important items that you should have in your kit:
- Three days of non-perishable food and water for each member of the family. This should include 1 gallon of water per family member per day.
- A manual can opener to open any canned food that you have.
- Disposable plates and utensils.
- Battery-powered or hand crank flashlights and a radio.
- Battery-operated or solar powered cell phone chargers.
- Extra batteries for the items that require them.
- A first aid kit (note: it is also advisable for someone in your family to be trained to administer first aid and CPR).
- A lighter or matches.
- Waterproof blankets or sleeping bags.
- Driver’s licenses and other forms of identification.
- Important medications that you will need to take when you are away.
- Toilet paper, moist towelettes, and other personal sanitation and hygiene items.
- Five days’ worth of cash in case the ATMs and electronic payment systems are down.
Organize and Protect Your Vital Documents
Organize all of your important documents and find a place to keep them that will be safe if there is a fire, flood, or another type of emergency. Some places that experts recommend include a fire and waterproof safe inside your home or a safety deposit box at your local bank.
Here are some of the most vital documents that should be secured in a safe place:
- Passports
- Social Security Cards
- Real Estate and Motor Vehicle Titles and Deeds
- Rental/Lease Agreements (for rental property you may own)
- Birth Certificates and Adoption Decrees
- Immunization Records
- Wills and Trusts
- USB Flash Drives with Important Digital Documents
Prep for an Extended In-Home Emergency
Not all emergencies are the same. While some will require you to evacuate your home for a while, others could leave you stranded in your home but without power for a while. It is good to have a larger emergency food and water supply in case you are stuck at home for a while. This may include more nonperishable canned goods, as well as some additional emergency food supplies with an extended shelf life.
For example, you can purchase a four-week supply of emergency food (1500+ calories per day) for about $150 per person from this supplier. This would provide your breakfast, lunch, and dinner for up to 30 days, and the food has a 30-year shelf life.
Consider a Backup Power Source
Finally, if it fits within your budget, experts recommend purchasing a backup home generator that can help get you through at least the first few days of a power outage. There are numerous generators on the market. Some are powered by gasoline, some by propane, some with solar panels, and some are hybrids that combine multiple power sources.
Gas and propane generators are better for powering higher wattage items such as appliances, but of course they are powered by a limited supply of fossil fuels. Solar generators, on the other hand, will run as long as you have sunlight to power them. However, they may not be able to produce the wattage you need at all times.
Which backup power solution is best for you is a conversation to have between you and your family. Perhaps you may decide on two different generators – one for the short term and one for a longer-term emergency. Or maybe it might make sense to have solar panels installed on your roof, so this source of power is available if/when the local power grid goes down.
Contact Our Top Las Vegas Luxury Homes Realtor for More Information
Creating a plan for how to handle natural disasters and other emergencies is one of the first things we recommend doing after you move into your Las Vegas luxury home. Do this as soon as you can before you get settled into a routine. Otherwise, you may put it off and not get around to it until it is too late.
If you have any other questions about how to prepare for natural disasters or creating an emergency plan, the Knoch Group is here to help. Since 2004, Ryan Knoch has served Las Vegas area homeowners and he is among the most trusted luxury home brokers in the region. If you need any help with regard to Las Vegas real estate, contact us today. We look forward to serving you!
Ryan Knoch is a Las Vegas real estate broker and member of Las Vegas REALTORS® and National Association of REALTORS®. He provides skilled guidance on the purchase and sale of Las Vegas homes and is a resource for all other real estate matters. To schedule a consultation, call Ryan Knoch today at (702) 303-7946 or email him at ryan@theknochgroupre.com.
