Your Home

Home is where the heart is. It’s a place we like to think is secure from all harm, but too often our houses are not free from hazards and we are not prepared to respond to emergencies as they occur. Sometimes the emergency is really a disaster we can’t control. We can, however, take time to prepare before a disaster hits. We can also prevent many accidents.

The Alabama Department of Insurance provides information for consumers and insurance agents on disaster preparedness.

American Red Cross provides a wealth of information and links to services.

Prepare.Org, a Web site produced by the American Red Cross, includes disaster preparedness materials for people with disabilities. The site itself is primarily text in large print.

The Homeownership Alliance (a coalition of trade and professional associations, nonprofits, and consumer advocates) collaborated with the U.S. Department of Homeland Security to produce a 9-page resource "Emergency Preparedness Guide" for new homeowners. The guide is based on recommendations of the Department of Homeland Security's "Ready" campaign.

CSREES, Family Development and Resource Management provides this page for families.

Federal Emergency Management Agency has developed an extensive guide for disaster preparedness. Are You Ready? provides a step-by-step outline on how to prepare a disaster supply kit, emergency planning for people with disabilities, how to locate and evacuate to a shelter and even contingency planning for family pets. Man-made threats from hazardous materials and terrorism are also treated in detail.

The National Safety Council provides dozens of fact sheets on topics that focus on driving, safety inside and outside the home and other issues in its Fact Sheet Library