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Basic Hurricane Preparedness

Plan for Your Family in an Emergency

By Brandi BrownPublished 5 years ago 3 min read
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Photo by Aserusainhuu on Unsplash

Whether you’re an experienced hurricane survivor or a newbie to the Atlantic and Gulf coasts, you should be prepared for hurricane season as it approaches. There are a few basic principles to adhere to if you want to make sure that your household is ready when the winds and rain come.

Plan now!

Don’t wait until the National Weather Service announces that a hurricane is on the way to get prepared. Start getting everything together as soon as you can and replace anything in your kit when it gets used. Print out a basic list of what you need and store it with your kit to help you keep your hurricane preparation items stocked.

Food & Water

For basic food preparedness, planning for three days is recommended, but if you’re serious, you should be able to survive for a week if you have no electricity or power. The general recommendation for water is on gallon per person per day, so for a family of four, you need 28 gallons of water. If you know an emergency is coming, plug your bathtubs and fill them as well as putting water in gallon bags or pitchers to use for washing needs.

Be sure to include some ways to store food if needed, such as gallon-sized plastic bags and large plastic containers. Pick up a manual can opener as well as some plastic utensils, paper towels, and moist towelettes. For food, stick with items that don’t need to be cooked. Protein options include tuna, Vienna sausages, and peanut butter. Then add in some crackers, dry cereal, and granola bars, as well as canned fruits and veggies. Applesauce and canned veggies also can be a good option. Add in some individual condiment packets and basic spices, and you’ll be able to keep everyone fed and happy!

Communication

In an emergency, you will want to be able to talk to other people. Fully charged phone banks—extra power that can be plugged into your phones—are an excellent idea to have. During an emergency, you’ll want to conserve your phone’s battery but have some back-up time built in. Also include a flashlight for everyone in your family, an array of batteries, and a couple of flares and permanent markers. Include a laminated sheet with your family and friends’ phone numbers. Finally, get a basic set of walkie-talkies for your immediate family to help you keep in touch if needed.

Pets

Don’t forget your furry, scaly, and feathered friends! Keep an envelope with all of your pets’ medical information in them. Also ensure that you have a 5-day supply of food for each pet. Laminate a photo of your family with your pet and a description just in case you get separated. Add in a blanket for each pet as well as a simple leash and carrier. Add in 2 gallons of water for each pet to make sure you’re covered.

Medical Safety

Making sure you can handle any minor issues on your own helps in two ways. First, it will allow you to treat yourself but also will keep urgent cares and other facilities open for people who really need it. A basic first aid kit costs around $20 and includes bandages, ointments, and other simple items.

Also make sure that you have a record of everyone’s prescription medications and some basic over-the-counter meds, such as pain relievers, allergy medication, and antibiotic ointment. Round off your medical supplies with gauze, antiseptic spray, peroxide, cotton balls, and butterfly sutures. With these basic items, you should be able to treat any small problems that come up during an emergency.

These items are the very basic ones you need to have a quality hurricane preparations in place. Once you are comfortable with these items, you can research advanced hurricane preparation to help you get ready. So hunker down and get ready for the storm!

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About the Creator

Brandi Brown

Brandi is a writer and part-time foodie. She feeds a diabetic spouse, a meat-and-potatoes kid, & a wannabe vegan on the daily. Read about what she's learned.

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