Buy a small backup set of flashlights and keep them in different house areas such as the kitchen, garage, box in the attic, etc. Flashlights with LED lights last longer because they use less power.
- Have plenty of batteries on hand so you never have to worry about running out. Before Hurricane Sandy came to New York City, I purchased one large family pack of AA batteries for around $10 at CVS. – Invest in a crank radio so you can hear emergency broadcasts. This post about Hurricane Sandy shows how to use a hand crank radio .
- Keep flashlights and extra batteries in your car. You don’t want to be trapped at home without power and no way to get out if necessary.
- Keep an extra portable flashlight near the door/hallway so you can turn it on when walking outside at night.
- A substantial first aid kit is a necessity. Put together your family’s own first-aid kit with everything you need for normal cuts, scrapes and burns.
- A two-way radio so you can communicate with other family members throughout the house.
I have these items listed on my hurricane emergency supply list checklist .
Additions: The hand crank radio is vital if the power goes out for an extended period of time and you need to keep up with developments from emergency broadcasts.
If you know of a bad storm coming , you can prepare by cleaning out your fridge. You can bet that when the power goes out there will be a rush to the stores to stock up on food. Be prepared, and you won’t have to deal with this.
- Keep water on hand for drinking, cooking and sanitation needs. If you have a well, ensure that it works correctly by having someone pump it several times before the storm hits. – Be sure to stock up on all the food you and your family need, especially if your children require special dietary needs such as those for diabetes.
- For pets, make sure you have plenty of food and water, bowls for food and water, a tarp or some kind of cover to keep them warm (if they don’t like cold weather), carrier or leash with collar in case they need to be taken somewhere else such as a kennel.
Protect yourself from flying debris. If you live in an area that has trees with limbs that fall, have your children stay away from windows, so they aren’t hit in the face.
- Have a fire extinguisher or a fire blanket on hand to put out any small fires caused by candles or other items with heat. – Have a small first aid kit for minor cuts, burns, and scrapes.
- Have plenty of plastic bags on hand to place wet items in. As you’ve probably heard, you should never use a dryer to dry clothes during a hurricane because it sucks up electricity. Wet clothes can be hung outside on a line or laid out on the lawn or driveway to dry.
All these items are found in my hurricane emergency supply list checklist .
Here’s a few items you may need as far as communication. – If you’re old-fashioned and still use a landline phone, have extra phone batteries on hand for if the power goes out. I would recommend this Panasonic phone since it has long battery life.
- Have a cell phone, plenty of extra chargers and backup batteries.
- Locate your cell phone and cell phone chargers in different areas of the house. Don’t keep all your phones in one spot near an open window. If you have a hand-crank radio, you can use it to charge your cell phone.
- Have a laptop with an internal wi-fi antennae on hand to post anything important to Facebook or Twitter (keep in mind though that during a crisis, you may not be able to access social media sites due to server overloads).
- Have a waverunner or aqua-cycle on hand for if you need to escape your area by water.
- Buy a bicycle with a basket and keep it on hand. This can be used to get out of an area if necessary or to get around in case gas is in short supply. (Keep the bicycle locked up so it doesn’t get stolen.)
- Have plenty of nonperishable food items on hand for everyone especially children and pets. Walkie-talkie that can be used to communicate with family members. Also, if you have an older vehicle, let your relatives know where you are (get the number of their local emergency shelter).
- Keep a couple of extra flashlights in different areas such as the kitchen and bathroom. There are many flashlights on the market.
The burn cage burn your trash safely.
John Que Public 