Hurricane Season for those of us on the east coast and around the gulf states in the United States runs from June 1st to November 30th. We've already seen one so far this year and while we were fortunate that it didn't cause widespread damage, it does serve as an alert to us to be prepared in the event of a major hurricane. Some items on the check list are: - Have food on hand that you can eat without much preparation and extra water for drinking/washing hands.
- Fill up bath tubs for water to flush toilets.
- Ensure you have safe ways of having light such as battery lanterns or flashlights, not candles.
- Trim your trees so that branches will be less of a hazard during a storm.
- Consider buying a crank emergency radio that also charges cell phones.
- If you have a generator, make sure you have gas on hand before the storm, properly stored and that the wiring for the generator has been installed/inspected by a licensed electrician.
- If you have a pet, have extra food and water for them. Make a plan for how they will go to the bathroom during the storm when they can not go outside.
- Once a storm is heading your way, be sure to move outside items that could be blown into your windows, house, car etc by the heavy winds.
- Identify a room with fewer windows to hang out in during the storm in case of debris breaking through a window.
- Turn off any propane tanks.
- Know food safety tips for eating food from a refrigerator which has experienced lack of power.
Being prepared for a hurricane will help you minimize the damage and effect of the storm on you and your family. Check out more tips on the Federal Gov't website, www.ready.gov
