When I was a child, a bad storm caused our town to be evacuated. We were unprepared…
When I was growing up, a storm caught us off guard and we were suddenly ordered to evacuate. Unprepared for this event, I felt very frightened at the time and have never forgotten this event.
Do you want to know how to prepare for a storm? Here are some tips…
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Practice your emergency escape plans.
Every family must have and practice an emergency escape plan. Regardless of age, each person in the household needs to know where to go and what to do–as well as who to call.
You should also plan for a stay at a shelter, if you think that may happen. Prepare your children for how life might be during a short stay at a shelter.
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Maintain emergency supplies.
If you live in a “storm zone”, you should always have emergency supplies on hand. Keep an “evacuation bag” packed at all times so you can just grab it and run to safety.
Your “evacuation bag” needs to contain basic personal care items for each family member, some food items, flashlights, and any medications (such as asthma inhalers or epipens) that your family might need.
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Check your insurance coverage.
Check your insurance coverage to make sure it is adequate to cover the cost of replacing your home and all of your family’s belongings. You might later wish you had done this, even if obtaining adequate coverage increases your insurance costs.
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Keep important documents.
Keep copies of important documents in a safe place, like a bank safe deposit box or a friend’s home. You should save copies of all birth certificates, property ownership documents, shot records and other important medical records, and social security cards.
Taking good care of your important documents helps prevent identity theft. You should store any important documents you cannot take with you in a hidden safe in your home, if you can. Do not take paper copies of important documents to a shelter, where you will be sharing space with strangers.
Identity theft is very common after a disaster like a hurricane. If you are not in your home and did not have time to put your important papers into a waterproof safe, you might consider setting up an account with a company like ID Shield, to protect yourself from identity theft. Having your identity stolen in the aftermath of a storm would make the situation far more difficult to cope with!
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Inspect your house.
Have a contractor or home inspector inspect your home to make certain that there is no damage a storm might make worse. Loose shingles, damaged roofs or windows, and loose siding are such potential issues.
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Prepare your electronics!
Back up your electronics to online servers and keep your passwords with you via an email message to yourself or a written password list you keep with you. “Encrypt” written passwords by leaving out one or two letters to keep prying eyes from using your accounts.
It might be wise to have a waterproof case for your cell phone also.
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Do not drive through water!
Even low levels of water can make a road impassable and cause life-threatening dangers for a vehicle’s occupants.
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You can replace your property but not yourself and your loved ones, so you must be prepared to evacuate. Being prepared gives you some peace of mind and some control over an otherwise chaotic situation.
Always be prepared for a storm! Don’t wait until a storm is at your door…
Let the encouraging words in these bobbiejrae posts help you
soar like an eagle above life’s storms.
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View Comments (1)
Thanks so much for writing this article, BJ! I have several family members living in Florida and feel concerned about them. I'll share your tips wtih them and keep them in my prayers.