Hurricane season is upon us, and this year is predicted to be an active hurricane season. With COVID-19 still on the rise and some basic supplies harder to come by, it is more important than ever to be prepared and stay prepared during this hurricane season.
One basic thing that we can all do now is to prepare an emergency kit. An emergency kit should include things such as a three-day supply of two gallons of water per family member, a three-day supply of non-perishable food, a battery powered radio, flashlight, first aid kit, and much more. Make sure you include COVID-19 items in this year’s kit, such as masks, gloves, and hand sanitizer. To see everything that one should have in an emergency kit, visit www.scemd.org.
Another basic thing that we can do is to have a family disater plan. Designate an out-of-state relative or friend to be the contact person and make sure everyone has that person’s phone number in their cell phone. Designate a meeting place should the family get separated from one another. Discuss how to evacuate from your home in the event of a fire and where you will go in the event of a needed evacuation due to a hurricane or other natural disaster. Make a plan for your pets. Make sure every family member knows the plan and review it regularly.
Go ahead, if you have the finances, and make needed repairs to your home to keep your home more secure during bad weather. Make sure items such as generators are serviced and ready to go and that the sufficient fuel is on hand to run them. Check batteries in flashlights, smoke detectors, and other items to make sure that they are in working order, and make sure that your fire extinguisher is up to date.
Check insurance policies to make sure that they are up to date and that you have the insurance coverage you need should you suffer a loss.
All of these are preparations that we can make now well before the threat of any significant bad weather instead of being part of the last minute rush of people who are unprepared and who have not taken the time to prepare ahead of time.
Now is the time to prepare for the unexpected, not at the time of the storm.