Hurricane Season is Here!
STOP Right There! Before you say, “But we don’t have hurricanes where I live,” you need to be prepared for any type of disaster…natural or manmade. Hurricane Season is here!
For the majority of my years on earth, I’ve lived near the coast. The
first hurricane I remember was Carla in 1961. Since that time, I’ve lived through countless hurricanes in Houston, Florida (remember Andrew), and the Bahamas, as well as tornadoes in Houston, the Bahamas, and Northern VA.
No matter where you live, it’s a good idea to have a plan - know what you would do.
First
Have a plan and write it down. When you are calmly thinking about what you’d take or do, it seems easy. However, what if you only had 5 or even 10 minutes? Our reactions may be quick however, our rising adrenaline can get in the way of knowing exactly what to do.
Second
Do your research.
~ If you have pets, do shelters near you accept them?
~If a tornado were to hit your area, do you know which room would be your safe room?
In May 2024, the Houston area had a derecho that behaved much like a tornado. Larry and I headed to our pre-chosen safe room with our phones and devices.
~Where would you go?
If you had to evacuate, do you know where you would or could go?
Third
Know what you would take if you had to leave.
Don’t rely solely on the cloud for your backups. During one of last year’s storms, some areas in our region lost internet access, and in some places, even cell service was down.
Don’t forget deeds, wills, medical information, financial, and insurance papers.
You’ll also need medications for you and your pets, toiletries, devices and chargers, etc. What would you need if you had to be away from your home for more than a day?!
Fourth
Make a list of items you would need to have at home in an emergency. More to come on that!
Even though I’ve experienced more than a few hurricanes, I can still learn something new to add to my list or that I’d do differently.
Make your plan based on what you and your family and pets would need! And…don’t wait.
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