Now that you understand the terminology involved in forecasting, the signs and treatment of heat related illness, and preparing a safe place during a storm, it’s time to complete your hurricane/typhoon preparations for a safe ride through the storm.
Three to four days before:
Bookmark your city and/or county website for quick access to storm updates and emergency instructions.
Subscribe to text alert services from local or state governments and TV stations to receive alerts.
Locate emergency shelters and determine if they accept pets if you are a pet owner.
Move outdoor items, including the trash can, into the garage so they don’t float away or batter your house causing damage.
Clean gutters.
Stock your freezer full. Place water in all your plastic containers, re-sealable freezer bags, etc. and fill all the empty space you can in the freezer. If your freezer is mostly empty you will lose your food for sure, even with an outage of just a few hours. The water you are storing becomes safe drinking water after the storm.
Stock up now. Batteries, glow sticks, bread, canned soups, any food not needing cooking, water, can opener, paper plates and cups, and medications. For those of you with a 3-month supply in your General Store this is already done.
Get cash. With ATMs and credit cards of no use, cash is a must-have. Even after power is restored, it can take days to get things back to normal and cash re- stocked in an ATM machine. Be sure cash is in small denomination bills, nothing larger than a ten. When power is out, stores often can’t make change.
Anchor items, such as propane tanks, that cannot be safely moved into the house.
Board up windows.
Get out your Preparedness Binder and place it where it is safe from flooding and easily accessible for reference later.
Purchase fuel for cooking and generator.
Gas up cars.
Purchase paper plates, bowls, cups and napkins.
Sign up for the Emergency Alert System (EAS) and National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) Weather Radio.
Review emergency evacuation plans.
Check maps to be sure you have evacuation routes marked.
When told to evacuate, do it!
24-36 Hours Before:
Prepare Safe Haven.
Trim trees and shrubs that brush the house or could blow into the house in heavy winds. Remove all dead branches
Place ax in attic in case you do not evacuate in time and need to go up to stay safe.
Check Five Day kits and important documents to be sure they are complete so they are ready to evacuate and available after the storm.
If you don’t already have one, create a hard copy of emergency phone numbers and those of friends and family in your cell phone. Cell phones can fail and if power is not available you may not be able to charge your phone.
If you are in a flood plain of near storm surge, move photos and important documents to the highest shelves in your home or to a room or closet without windows in the center of the home or to your safe haven in case of flooding. Be sure to take photos and valuable artwork off the wall and move them up high as well. Move furniture you can off the floor and on to counters or upstairs.
Check on disabled or elderly neighbors and family members.
Get out your home inventory. If you don’t have one, take photos. Open doors, drawers, etc. and take pictures of all rooms and the garage.
Test generator and hook up.
Place carbon monoxide detectors near end of the house where you have your generator and near all bedrooms. Carbon monoxide cannot be smelled and will kill.
Place flashlight and/or glow sticks in every room.
Turn on radio and listen for alerts.
Locate and get first aid supplies organized.
Check sump pump.
Make a Do Not Open sign and post on refrigerator and freezer.
Place sturdy shoes, a light source, and whistle next to each bed just in case you have a nighttime surprise.
If told to evacuate, Do It!
Less Than 12 Hours:
Charge all devices.
Place all solar chargers in windows so they can charge.
Turn refrigerator and freezer to coldest settings.
Do the laundry. No need to be searching for clean clothes during an extended outage following the storm.
Fill every pitcher and pot you have with water, fill the tub to use for flushing.
Storm surges often pollute fresh water sources with salt water. If you are on a well, the power may go out. Prepare to be without safe water.
Wash all dishes.
Take a shower.
Close storm windows and shutters.
Notify out of area contacts and apprise them of your plans.
If you live in a mobile home or path of a tidal surge, and have not already evacuated, take your evacuation items and leave now. Never ride out a hurricane in a mobile home.
If you are sheltering in place, fix one or two hot meals. Eat one now and save one for during or after the storm.
Gather blankets, sleeping bags, camp stove, games, and books for when the lights go out.
Have your Five-Day kit ready to go in case you need to be rescued. Take time to prepare your kit by placing the items inside in gallon zip lock bags and the entire kit into a large plastic bag. You want those important documents and clothing etc. kept dry.
When evacuating, take important documents and Five-Day kits with you. (See: Evacuation Checklist in your Totally Ready Preparedness Binder)
Turn off propane coming into the house
Again, if told to evacuate, Do It!
Once the storm is less than 6 hours away unless you are far from the coast, it is too late to evacuate. If you are staying at home and riding out the storm near the coast or in a flood plain and you missed the time to evacuate, move your vehicles to higher ground or several miles inland.
Hurricane always result in power outages. Prepare for those now. Some residents in Houston, Texas have been without power as long as 18 days and counting, following recent disasters. Copy and print the article Is a Grid Failure Coming? and get busy preparing.
Hurricanes and typhoons can be deadly. Preparing ahead can preserve your life and make living in the aftermath more of an adventure than a disaster.
For all this information and over 200 pages of forms and charts filled with tips to help you prepare purchase the Totally Ready Preparedness Binder. https://www.totallyready.com/shop
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