7 Things You Need To Do To Be Prepared For A Bad Storm Or A Hurricane

As we go into the peak of hurricane season, there are several things that you may want to do, just in case of a storm. Last year when Sandy hit, we lost power for over 24 hours, so these are the kinds of things that we needed, and a few I wished we had when the storm hit. There is nothing like being caught unprepared, and finding out that you missed something important after it is too late! Of course, when the warning of a big storm comes, everyone will run to the store buying eggs, bread and milk, but it’s a great idea to have a storm kit prepared in advance.

So here are a few things that you want to do to make sure you give yourself a little more peace of mind if the storm hits.

1. Have Plenty of Bottled Water! Make sure you have bottled water for at least 3 days, just in case something happens to your water supply you need something to drink. You may want to put aside  at least 3-5 gallons of water.

2. Make Sure You Have Tons of Batteries. There are still a number of really important items that run off of batteries, so make sure you get them. You may want to go to Sam’s Club or BJ’s to get them in bulk, or get them online at Amazon

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3. Make Sure You Have A Good Flashlight, Matches and Candles. If your power goes out, you will need to have a great flashlight, as well as plenty of matches and candles. You don’t want to get caught in the dark without any light if your power goes out. Last year when Sandy hit, our power went out and our Maglite, an incredibly durable and very dependable flashlight kept us safe and gave us the light we needed. I found out about Maglite when I was in college. They have an aluminum alloy case, and they are used by many emergency services outfits, like firefighters, EMS groups etc. You want to make sure you have a good flashlight you can depend on, it may not be a bad idea to get a small one for your key chain as well, they are really good.

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Don’t forget to have plenty of matches, and candles on hand, as well.

4. Find A Backup Cell Phone Battery. There are lots of cell phone chargers that run off of batteries, solar power, and there are even chargers that have lights like the WakaWaka solar charger which I found about today. Phones are such a big part of our lives, so you really want something that can keep you charged, and moving for as long as possible.

5. You also want to make sure you have a communication plan in place. You want to identify places where everyone can check-in, both on-line and off-line. Twitter, Facebook and other social media sites give you a great way to communicate with friends and family all at the same time if there is a crisis. You may want to create a Facebook group where you can check in or share important information. You also want to make sure you identify emergency response groups that can help you, or get you important information that you may need in case of emergency.

6. Remember if you lose power, keep your refrigerator, and your freezer closed. Your refrigerator will keep your food cold for as long as 4 hours. If you know a storm is coming, buy a couple of extra bags of ice, or freeze water in one-quart plastic storage bags. They are small enough to fit in around the food in the refrigerator and freezer to help keep food cold and won’t make a mess when the ice melts that should also buy you some time.

7. Lastly Identify a few non-perishable items that you can add to your kit. You may want to have a variety, so everyone is happy. You need something to help you keep your energy up. You want items that take very little to no preparation and that you won’t mind eating if your lose power.

Try out these tips, and add on a few of your own. It would be great to hear what you think!