How To Prepare For A Hurricane
There she blows!
Oh dear, T-minus how many hours till Irene is supposed to hit?
Hurricane Irene. It’s all we’re talking about here in New York City. She’s supposed to his sometime on the 28th and she could possibly cause power outages, flooding, evacuation, food shortages, and other general mayhem and pandemonium.
Are you ready for her?
Historically, I’m not very good at emergency preparedness. Before now, the only 72-hour kit I owned was one that belonged to my car. (My mother put it together for us as a “happy new car!” gift. I believe it was water, candy, and toilet paper. You know, the important stuff.) Well, we’ve since sold our car and so now we’re on our own. And it’s time to get ready.
So I’m spending the day getting our house in order. After the jump, the 25 things you need to do to prepare your home for an impending hurricane, thanks to the Red Cross.
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SPARE CASH
No power means no ATMs, means if stores are open and you're in need, you'll want some of the cold, hard stuff.
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WATER
Not only will you want enough water for drinking, but also preparing canned or dehydrated food, bathing, and washing dishes. Plan on having a stash of bottled water on hand, and fill up your bathtub before the hurricane hits, in case you or your dishes need a dunk.
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FIRST AID KIT
This one seems obvious, but I hadn't thought of it! Take a minute now to make sure it's fully stocked, and make a quick run to the drugstore to flesh out whatever you need before the storm hits.
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MEDICATIONS
Including but not limited to: prescriptions, vitamins, infant Tylenol, antacids, Benadryl, birth control. (Hurricane baby, anyone?)
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MULTIPURPOSE TOOL
Maybe to you that means "all-in-one screwdriver" or "heel of a good sturdy shoe." Maybe you'll also want a pocket knife.
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PERSONAL HYGIENE
Just because there's a hurricane on doesn't mean others have lost their sense of smell. Pack up a toiletry bag and have it handy, in case you need to evacuate quickly.
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EXTRA BLANKETS
Even in summer, storms can bring with them cooler temps in those strong breezes.
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PET SUPPLIES
Don't forget old woofy over there. He's going to need food and water (and puppy wee wee pads) to live out the storm in comfort, too!
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SPARE OUTFIT
Pack a spare outfit with your toiletries (and your wallet) (and your cell phone and an extra battery!) in case you need to evacuate quickly.
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RAIN GEAR
In case you need to brave the storm for last-minute supplies!
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FLASHLIGHT AND EXTRA BATTERIES
Power goes out, you're gonna want to be able to navigate to the dark bathroom safely.
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EVACUATION PLAN
Find out now if you live in an evacuation zone, and what your area will likely experience (high winds? flooding?). Then, make a plan with your family. Arrange a meet-up point on higher ground. Decide where you will go and who you will stay with if your home becomes unsafe.
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MAP OF THE NEIGHBORHOOD
Know the best roads to take to get to safer areas.
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DIET PEPSI
Oh, just me? Okay then.
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BATTERY POWERED RADIO
Preferably an NOAA Weather Radio, if possible.
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SPARE KEYS
An emergency is NOT the time to be dinking about wondering where you left your keys last!
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DEDICATED BACKPACK
Call it your '72-Hour Kit.' In here is where you put everything: your maps, your keys, your flashlights and batteries, snacks, cash, clothes, etc. Have it fully stocked with what you'd need for 72 hours, one for each member of the family, and make sure it's ready to go at all times.
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CANNED FOOD, AND OTHER NO-COOK SNACKS
If the power goes out, you'll even be without the microwave! Don't get caught with nothing to eat but old canned tuna. Stock up on granola bars, canned food that can be eaten room temperature, and dehydrated food (you can find these at food storage specialty stores and at the ARMY NAVY Surplus).
What should you do?
1. Listen to NOAA Weather Radio for updates from the National Weather Services.
2. Bring in anything that can be picked up by wind (bicycles, lawn furniture, grills, children).
3. Close all windows, doors, and hurricane shutters. If you don’t have hurricane shutters, you can board your windows using plywood.
4. Turn your fridge and freezer to their coldest settings and keep them closed as much as possible. This will prolong the amount of time your food stays cold in case of a power outage.
5. Turn off your propane tank and unplug all appliances.
6. Fill your car and all spare tanks with gas.
7. Create your evacuation plan.
8. Check to see if you have flooding insurance (most home insurance policies do not).
Good luck, and happy storming!
Information via redcross.org, images via Pinterest
Hurricanes are not fun… The first hurricane I experienced was in 1992 (Hurricane Andrew-I was 15) and it was very scary. As long as you have plenty of non-perishable food on hand and plenty of water (at least one gallon per person a day-half for drinking the other for bathing) you’ll be okay. Good tips here though! Good luck!
Vanessa
http://www.mamascribble.com