by Barbara Latta
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| Hurricane Harvey will go down in record books. |
Hurricane Harvey will go down in record books for property damage and rainfall. Texas has been devastated and the last few days have seen wide-spread flooding all across the Gulf coast.
In the event of a disaster that does not require leaving the
home, we could be living for days or weeks without electricity. Pre-planning can
avoid scarcity and empty shelves.
The following steps can be a start in the preparation
process:
- Review insurance policies on homes, vehicles, and personal property.
- Store a supply of bottled water. Calculate how much would be needed for the entire family, including pets, for at least one month.
- Keep vehicles as full of fuel as possible at all times. If the entire community is evacuating, gas lines require long waits. Also, if there is no power, gas pumps will not work.
- Put a first aid kit in the vehicle along with flashlights, a blanket or two, and a small compressor for low tires.
- Try to keep an amount of cash on hand in a safe, but in easily accessible place. Without power, ATMs will not work.
- Pre-packaged food in sealed containers is available for purchase at many outlets. These packages only require adding water and could be prepared on an outdoor grill or campfire.
- Keep fuel levels as high as possible for the propane grill.
- Propane lanterns are safer than candles, last longer and produce brighter light.
- Buy a generator.
- Refill medications as often as possible to have extra supplies available.
- Pack a container such as a large
plastic foot locker and keep important papers such as passports, birth
certificates and other irreplaceable or hard to replace items inside. Pack extra medications, water, food, flashlights, and medical kits. The entire
container could then be picked up and taken when leaving in a
hurry.
Keep first aid kits ready for disasters.
We never know what awaits us in the future and proper
planning can save us a lot of headaches and pain. Most of the time we do not
think of having emergency items stored away until it is too late to do so.
What ideas could you add to this list? Are you prepared?
Well said Barb, we've learned after being in the midst of Harvey, that it pays to be prepared. Some waited too long and shelves were empty in the grocery stores. We froze individual bottles of water and had plenty for our family. We filled bathtubs with water for toilet use. We had lots of bread that we froze, stocked up on batteries. And non-perishables, peanut butter and tuna in the foil packs. Granola bars and energy bars and assorted boxed drinks for children. Dried fruit and nuts for snacking, crackers, cheese sticks, baby wipes etc. it's amazing how much you can put together for emergencies if you plan early and plan well.
ReplyDeleteI'm so sorry you all had to go through that but glad you were all safe. You prepared well and it helped to sustain you. Still praying for Texas!
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