Home Building Articles
Preparing for an Emergency
September is National Preparedness Month and the peak of hurricane activity. So
now is a perfect time to prepare!
September 12, 2012
Storms can form quickly leaving little or no time to prepare. If you have time to
prepare before a storm, there are a few items you'll want to gather to keep you
and all family members safe. Prepare for a power outage and purchase food that won't
perish quickly, pickup batteries (C and D batteries are the most common ones used
for flash lights and portable stereo), and most importantly have water and ice ready.
Make sure to have at least one gallon of water per person per day and don't forget
about your pets! You can make you own ice packs or buy bags of ice to make food
in your refrigerator and freezer last longer if your power goes out. To make you
own ice packs, fill various sizes Ziploc bags 3/4 full of water and freeze at least
24 hours in advance. For insurance purposes take pictures of the inside and outside
of your home. You should also take pictures of your car (s), boat, shed, pool, wellhead
and any other equipment you may have. Back up all your important documents on your
computer and keep a copy with you.
In case you have to evacuate pack bags for each family member and keep them close
to your front door. Consider including the following: a change of clothes, medicine
and any special dietary needs, first aid kit, flashlight, portable radio, your ID,
back up disk with computer files, camera with your home photos, home and auto insurance
documents, blankets and pillows.
For more information on preparing for a storm, see the following websites:
Centers for Disease Control
Environmental Protection Agency
Federal Emergency Management Agency