Storm Preparation
We spend more time preparing for Halloween than we do for a storm that is just about to hit us. We need to get our priorities straight and think ahead before disaster strikes. We watch other parts of the country getting hit, and we never really think about being caught up in that situation ourselves.
Instead of spending all of our resources on the recovery and cleanup after a storm, we need to spend more time on preparing for a storm. How you survive and recover from a storm directly relates to how prepared you are.
To get prepared for an upcoming storm, addressing the following questions is key:
1) Do you live along the coastline or in a flood-prone area?
2) Do you have people in your home with special needs…small children, babies, the elderly or disabled?
3) Do you operate a home-based business?
If you answered yes to any of these questions, storm preparedness should be a top priority today, not tomorrow, as that may be too late. Natural and man-made disasters can strike anytime, anywhere in the country, so everyone needs to be prepared. Here are some things to consider:
- Create an early evacuation plan that includes the route you plan to take and where you plan to meet family members if you become separated. You may need to drive away, so keep that in mind.
- Store 3-7 days’ worth of water and non-perishable food for everyone in your family in a dry, easily accessible area of your home. Canned food ready to open and eat, such as cans of tuna, is great.
- Create a storm kit and fill it with the following items: flashlight(s), weather radio, batteries, medications, money, water, non-perishable food, emergency contact numbers, etc. (the internet or cell phone service may be down, so keep that in mind).
- Install a standby generator at the side of your home in case you have to shelter in place during the storm. Most people would pay 10 times what a generator costs just to have one when they are stranded during a storm. This is so easy to prevent.
The number one problem people face in the aftermath of a storm is electrical power. When you lose power, it sets society back at least 50 years. It cuts off our communication; it prevents our access to safe food and water; it impacts our comfort (no heat or air conditioning depending on where you live and the time of year); and creates sanitation issues.
About a quarter of our population consists of the elderly, disabled or the poor and homeless which means they can’t prepare for emergencies on their own. We need to be less selfish and do everything we can for those in need.
Despite so many recent disasters like the one ongoing in Louisiana, people feel like it just can’t happen to them. We have to create a system and an action plan and that starts with you.