Are You Prepared if Disaster Strikes?

NORTHBROOK, Ill., June 7, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- Weather forecasters are predicting a busy hurricane season with above average activity this year. Colorado State University's storm-prediction gurus believe 18 named storms may impact communities along the coast. Nine of those storms are expected to turn into hurricanes. Four of those hurricanes are expected to be major events, packing powerful winds of 100 mph and greater.

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Hurricanes Sandy, Irene, Isaac and other disasters serve as a sobering reminder of the importance of families being prepared just in case the unthinkable happens.

"Preparing now, before the weather turns serious, is a family's best defense," says Roman Suarez, a 17-year member and manager of Allstate's National Catastrophe Team.

Preparation should focus on four key activities, which the whole family can do together.

1. Take time to shop and put together an emergency kit.
2. Hit the road and practice an evacuation route out of town and to a safe place.
3. Pull out the camera and take pictures of the personal belongings. 
4. Sign up for Allstate Alerts to stay on top of bad weather heading into the area.

Here are additional details to help families put their plans in place:

Emergency Kit: Keep a well-stocked disaster-supply kit in a place that makes it easy to grab and go. Stock the kit with bottled water and ready-to-eat, non-perishable foods, a weather radio, traveler's checks or cash, important papers, first-aid items, personal hygiene items, blankets, extra clothes and shoes.

Evacuation Plan: These plans are critical, especially when local authorities issue mandatory evacuation orders.

• Learn and practice the best evacuation routes.
• Keep a map or GPS unit in the car in case you are forced to take unfamiliar roads.
• Design a plan that includes a meeting place away from the home in case family members get separated.
• Identify an out-of-state contact so the family knows who to call to check in.

Home Inventory: A room-by-room inventory, as well as photographs or video of personal belongings can save a lot of headaches – or heartaches – should a catastrophe strike.

• Take an easy, old-fashioned approach with pen and paper to write down the items in a home.
• Take a digital-approach by using an app or software called Digital Locker, available through Allstate at the following website: http://www.allstate.com/digital-locker.aspx. You don't have to be a customer to use it.

Allstate Alerts: Get timely text and email alerts when bad weather is headed into the area. Signing up for Allstate Alerts is free and easy at the following site: http://www.allstatealerts.com/.

"Allstate is an industry leader in catastrophe response," says Suarez. "Our team has learned a lot from the natural disasters of the last several years, and we're preparing and making plans to be able to respond after they strike. It's important to us that families prepare, too. Allstate has good information available at Be Aware and Prepare to help them do that."

The Allstate Corporation (NYSE: ALL) is the nation's largest publicly held personal lines insurer, serving approximately 16 million households through its Allstate, Encompass, Esurance and Answer Financial brand names and Allstate Financial business segment. Allstate branded insurance products (auto, home, life and retirement) and services are offered through Allstate agencies, independent agencies, and Allstate exclusive financial representatives, as well as via www.allstate.com, www.allstate.com/financial and 1-800 Allstate^®, and are widely known through the slogan "You're In Good Hands With Allstate^®." As part of Allstate's commitment to strengthen local communities, The Allstate Foundation, Allstate employees, agency owners and the corporation provided $29 million in 2012 to thousands of nonprofit organizations and important causes across the United States.

SOURCE Allstate