READ THIS! Be Prepared!

Preparing for a hurricane

Here on the East Coast, preparations are under way for Hurricane Irene.  My husband spent yesterday battening down the hatches, filling water containers, starting the generator and gathering flashlights.  My mission, if I choose to accept it, is to come up with a checklist that we can use for any upcoming disaster.  After the ice storm that froze New England and rendered us powerless for days, we found out how ready we really were to deal with disaster.

A quick reminder to pick up outside toys, lawn furniture, planted pots, secure or store your BBQ grill and propane tank.  Remember to fill your car's gas tank and fill your propane tank.

Not only have I included a list of essential items, I have included information on dealing with your children and your pets.

What supplies do you need?

• Water: 3 days supply, 1 gallon per day per person
• Food: 3 day supply, non-perishable, easy to prepare, canned food is a good option
• Flashlights
• Extra batteries
• Candles, lanterns and matches
• Battery powered or hand-cranked radio
• Cooler with extra ice (especially if your medications need to be refrigerated)
• 7 day supply of medications, both prescription and over-the-counter
• First aid kit or supplies
• Personal hygiene products
• Extra cash (the ATMs won't be functioning)
• Cell phone with chargers
• Battery back up power system or gas powered generator.  *these are recommended but not required
• Rain gear
• Insect repellent and sunscreen
• Tools, lumber and hardware for securing your home

But what if you have to evacuate?  Do you know where is your local shelter?  Be sure to have a plan in place.    Get an Emergency Supply Kit, which includes items like non-perishable food, water, a battery-powered or hand-crank radio, extra flashlights and batteries. You may want to prepare a portable kit and keep it in your car in case you are told to evacuate.
 Your children will need extra activities to keep them busy.  My son and I found this information at FEMA for kids  http://www.fema.gov/kids/hurr.htm

Kids Activity Survival Kit

You may have to leave your house during a disaster and may sleep somewhere else for a while. It’s smart to put together your own Kid’s Activity Survival Kit so you will have things to do and share with other kids. These can all be stored in a backpack or duffel bag. Just make sure you can carry it easily. Some suggested items for your Activity Survival Kit:

• A few  favorite books
• Crayons, pencils or marking pens and plenty of paper
• Scissors and glue
• Two favorite toys such as a doll or action figure
• One or two board games
• A deck of cards
• A puzzle (One with lots of pieces is good -- it takes a long time to do!)
• Small people figures and play vehicles that you can use to play out what is happening during a disaster -- such as ambulance, fire truck, helicopter, dump truck, police car, small boats.
• Favorite stuffed animal or puppet
• Favorite blanket or pillow
• Pictures of the family and pet
• A "keep safe" box with a few treasures that make you feel special.
• Snacks, drinks or water bottle
• Don't forget to charge your handheld games! 

Don't forget the dog!

Family pets can sometimes be overlooked in all the preparation and evacuation.  Dogs are very sensitive to storms, rain, thunder and wind.  Ask your vet if he or she recommends anti-anxiety medication.

• Proper ID, tags, rabies vaccine current
• Ample supply of food and water
• carrier or cage
• collar and leash
• favorite toys and wag bag
• Daily medications

For more information, please visit FEMA.gov, your local weather station or the Red Cross.

 
http://www.redcross.org/www-files/Documents/pdf/Preparedness/checklists/Hurricane.pdf