I hope you all had a nice Labor Day Weekend! We stayed pretty close to home and enjoyed playing outside and visiting family. It's hard to imagine that Hurricane Irma is approaching so quickly when people in Texas are still in the early stages of recovery from Hurricane Harvey. We've lived in coastal locations for the past 15 years, and I thought it might be worth sharing some tips that we've acquired over the years for emergency preparedness.
First and foremost, prepare an emergency kit and an emergency plan for your family. The kit should ideally include survival supplies for a week (food, water, rechargeable batteries to charge cell phones and laptops, a camping stove with fuel, pots and pans, a hand-crank or solar powered radio, etc). Your emergency plan should include details on where to meet in the case of an emergency. You should have multiple plans based upon where you might be at the time of the emergency (work, home, school, etc). It's important to consider the best routes that will be least likely to be impacted (i.e. do not choose roads that are likely to flood, etc).
Depending on where you live and how likely the area is to be impacted by natural disasters such as a hurricane, you will need to determine the additional supplies that are needed. For example, if you live in an area prone to hurricanes, it's probably wise to invest in a generator that can provide the power you need in case of a storm. It's also wise to purchase a chainsaw, or map out a neighborhood emergency plan where you collaborate with neighbors to determine who has what items in case of a hurricane. That way, if there are fallen trees or debris in the road, you know exactly where to find a chainsaw, or other necessary items right away.
You should also make plans in advance for an evacuation. Be sure to find a family member or friend who you know will allow you and your family to stay with them in a time of need. Reach out to them well in advance. When you see a hurricane like Irma in the forecast, don't wait to call them until the day before you need to evacuate. They may have other plans.
Finally, make the necessary/recommended preparations for your home. That might entail boarding up the doors and windows, etc. These preparations will vary depending on the type of natural disaster that is expected, where you are located, etc. Do not disregard the local advisories, and please take all necessary precautions. Finally, fill up your cars with gas, charge your cell phones, laptops, and other devices, and keep a close eye on the local news and weather, and always follow evacuation instructions. Be sure to let your family, friends and neighbors know where you're going, and the locations of items that are important to you (medications, walker, etc.). Please stay safe, and let's hope that Hurricane Irma takes a turn back out to sea!
