Ok, I don’t know about you but I love to be prepared. I am often the one that all my friends laugh at because I’m running around like a lunatic trying to get prepared.
In 2011 hurricane Irene hit us here in Connecticut. All of my friends thought I was losing my mind. I was running around last minute to be sure we had water, food, batteries and all the stuff we would need. Thank God I did! We went 8 days with no power…….YES you read that right 8 days! I was so thankful I was prepared.
With the current questionable track of hurricane Joaquin, I’m at it again!!
Here is list of things I do to get prepared……..
*Note: I am not a professional this is only what we do here in our home in little Voluntown. Check The National Hurricane Center or FEMA for their suggestions!
- House Clean~I know it sounds nuts but if you are stuck in the house for days with no water and no electricity, you don’t want to be stuck with a dirty house. Trust me it will get dirty real quick, so it would be best to start off with a clean slate!
- Gather All Important Documents/Contact Information & Store Them In A Safe Place~ A safe place would be a safety deposit box or a fire/water proof safe. The following are some documents/contact information you might want to collect
- Contact information for your local law enforcement, local hospitals, and local utilities.
- Home Owners Insurance Policy
- Flood Insurance Policy
- Car Insurance Policy
- Read Over All Your Insurance Polices~This way you know what is covered and what they expect you to do if you need to make a claim.
- Take Photos Of Your Home And Personal Belongings~ This will help you big time if you need to make a claim to your insurance company.
- Have Cash On Hand And Store It In A Safe Place~ Again, a fire/waterproof safe is a great thing to have. You may need cash if the power is out and your local store is not able to take your credit/debit cards!
- Have A Pet? Be Sure You Have Food, Leash and Collar, And All Updated Vet Records~ If you need to go to a shelter you will need the vet records!
- Test All Lanterns And Camping Lamps. If You Don’t Have Any Buy Some.
- Be Sure You Have The Following Items…..
- Toilet Paper
- Baby Wipes
- Matches/Lighters
- Flash Lights
- Batteries
- Battery Powered Radio
- Case Of Water Bottles
- Store All Items You May Need In A Rubber Maid Tote So They Are Easy To Find.
- Make Sure All Of You Prescription Medications Are Filled.
- If You Have Children, Pick Up Some New Games, Coloring Books, Books, or Toys So In The Event You Lose Power They Have Something New To Keep Them Busy! THIS IS LIFE SAVING!!!
- Check Your Generator If You Have One.
- Keep Your Cell Phones Charged, Place Them On Airplane Mood, And Dim The Screen To Save The Battery.
- Fill All Gas Tanks In Your Vehicles~You may not be able to get gas right away and if you need to evacuate, a full tank of gas will be one less thing to worry about.
- If You Are In A Location That Has A High Chance Of Evacuation, Pack Bags With Clothes And Basic Items.
- Stock Up On Non Perishable Canned Items And Food Items That Are Easy To Cook. ~ Think about what you would bring on a simple camping trip.
- Fill Extra Gas Cans.
- Get Propane For Your Gas Grill.
- Turn Off Your Propane Tank.
- Turn Your Refrigerator And Freezer To The Coldest Settings~Open the doors as little as possible to keep the cold air in!
- Freeze A Case Of Water Bottles And A 5 Gallon Bucket Full Of Water~ Leave these items in your freezer and they will help keep your freezer cold if you lose power.
- Get 5 Gallon Buckets With Lids And Fill Them With Water~ These aren’t for your freezer, these are for any of your water needs. So fill up as many as you can!
- Buy A Lot Of Batteries~ Check what type of batteries you will need for flashlights and such and stock up!
- Pick Up And Secure All Lawn Furniture And Outside Items.
- Lock All Your Doors And Windows.
- Unplug All Electrical Equipment/Appliances Besides Refrigerators And Freezer.
I would love to know what’s on your to-do list for getting prepared for a big storm!
