With the possibility of Hurricane Erika approaching our area, it’s a great time to remember those important to-dos and purchase necessary supplies. It’s never too early to get ready.
The first step in being prepared is to stay informed.
- Regularly, watch local news and check websites that pertain to hurricanes
- A tracking map is a good way to watch the current path, and to get your children involved
- If you can involve your kids, it will take out the big fear if a storm does hit the area
Next, if a storm is imminent, you’ll need to decide whether or not evacuate:
- You should plan for both options.
- Take into consideration your situation, plus the strength of the storm.
- Whatever decision you make, make it early.
- In the case of evacuations, interstates could be turn into one-way roads, possibly not going in the direction that you planned. Prior to Hurricane Andrew hitting south Florida, all lanes of I-95 were turned north bound.
Preparation of the outside of your home is ultra-important:
- Cover your windows with plywood. The recommended plywood would be 5/8” thick, exterior grad or marine plywood, cut to the size of your window.
- Don’t waste your time with tape. It has been proven that tape does not keep windows from breaking or glass from flying.
- You may want to reinforce your garage doors.
- Be sure to bring in all outdoor furniture, garbage cans and anything else that is not tied down. These items can become missiles in a storm.
Don’t wait until the last minute to prepare or purchase supplies. Many big box stores run out of supplies and you could get caught in a situation where it’s unsafe to leave your home. Put together a supply kit that includes:
- A 3-day supply of non-perishable food
- One gallon of water per person per day for 3 days
- Batteries
- Flashlight
- First aid kit
- For a complete list, click here
- Also for a list of supplies for various areas, check out this list
Some often overlooked tasks include:
- Gathering your important paper and putting them in waterproof containers
- Get cash because if power is out, ATMs won’t work
- Fill your car with fuel. Again, no electricity equals no fuel pumps working
- Charge your communication devices like your phone or tablet
- Also, do your laundry because you may be out of power for a while
Remember the pets!
- You’ll need to have supplies on hand for your animals. Have an emergency supply kit for them as well
- If you do evacuate your home, DO NOT LEAVE YOUR PETS! They may not survive, and if they do, you may not be able to find them after the storm
For more information, check out these resources:
*National Weather Service Weather Safety
*Family Emergency Plan – Checklist