As Japan works tirelessly to pick up the pieces following the devastation from the earthquake and tsunami, homeowners in this country need to be thinking about how to best prepare for similar situations.

Fortunately, organizations like the Federal Alliance for Safe Homes (FLASH) have been doing some of this leg work for us, analyzing the data and determining what we can learn from the disaster.

In a finding titled “The Japan Earthquake and Tsunami and What They Mean for the U.S.,” FLASH provides some crucial advice for homeowners who want to be prepared for similar natural disasters. The report is not terribly long and it’s definitely worth the read.

Key among their conclusions is the emphasis on individual preparation. When the earthquake and tsunami knocked out critical systems and severely slowed response teams, those individuals who had prepared disaster kits and who had undergone disaster preparation were in the best position to survive.

Check out the whole report and be sure to get your disaster kit in order! Disaster preparedness — and preparedness in general — is always good practice.

Do you have a disaster plan? Do you have a survival kit? What are you waiting for?

Credit: FLASH

Assembling Your Disaster Kit