09/12/2018
Mrs. Twig’s Storm Preparedness List
A. AHEAD OF THE STORM
1. Fill up plastic containers with water and freeze them in every spare inch of your freezer. They’ll keep your food cold, you can move them to the fridge o cooler later, and then use the melted water to drink.
2. Fill up car with gas
3 Chain saw preparation. If you don’t have one, who does? Can they be available to you? Is that chain saw working and does the operator have all the oil and stuff necessary for lots of chain sawing?
4 Get cash- when the power goes out, the stores don’t take credit cards
5 Projectile identification: walk around your yard and note all tools, plants, flowerpots, sculptures, furniture that will be free to blow about in a storm. Make a plan to bring all of them inside. Arrange help if you’ll need it. These are the things that blow through your glass doors and car windshields so plan for them to come inside.
6 Think about all the things you plan to do next week, and do them this week. You might be stuck at home with no power and wishing you had just returned those library books, paid that bill, or whatever.
7 Think about the projects you can do next week, while you’re at home with no power. Get all the supplies you need for your projects, or lots of books to read, etc.
8 Make sure you have enough medicines for next week and get them if you don’t.
B. DAY OF OR JUST BEFORE THE STORM
1. Do the laundry. It will be very hot after a hurricane, and very cold after an ice storm, and there’s nothing worse than running out of clean clothes with no way to wash them
2. Run the dishwasher. Who among us wants to be stuck with a pile of dirty dishes and no hot water to wash them with?
3. Bring all potential projectiles inside
4. Identify your safe space. this is the place that is high and dry with no windows. This is the place for you to place your purse, and any other valuables, and any important financial information (like home owner’s insurance policies) and phone numbers
5. Go shopping. Although every one else will be shopping and you probably should have done this yesterday. Buy water, of course. You might need to eat for a week, and you’ll get really tired of peanut butter and tuna, so think about what you can cook on the grill, etc. Buy the stuff, freeze it, and it will thaw. By the way, if water is an issue, you might want to get paper plates, just this once.
6. In my experience you’ll need some treats. The stress of the storm drives even the most health conscious of us to require chocolate, cookies and various soothing beverages.
7. Charge up everything…. every cell phone, iPod, flashlight, radio, vacuum, etc.
8. Take a shower. It might be a while before hot water comes back into your life.
9. Fill up the bathtubs. You can use this water to flush the commode later.
10. Make a phone list of service people you may need after the storm. Like tree people, glass people, roof people, insurance people so you have them handy
11. Your car needs a safe space too. If you have a garage, no problem, but, if not, find a place where a tree might not fall on your car, and, if you have to leave, you are most likely to get out.
C. STUFF TO HAVE ON HAND
1. Flashlights and batteries, but if you have the wind up kind or the solar kind you can forget the batteries. I like to have a light source in every room, especially the bathrooms.
2. Book lights, these are way more comfortable for reading than a flashlight. When the power is off the nights come early, so think about how you can make the “dark yet not ready for bed” times work.
3. Candles and lighter or matches. These are lovely but dangerous. It helps to have the candles that are contained in glass, but, regardless, DO NOT LEAVE HOME OR GO TO SLEEP WITH A CANDLE BURNING.
4. Solar lanterns for outside ….. it’s really dark when the whole town is out of power
D. 72 HOUR EMERGENCY KIT
1. Prepare a minimum three-day supply of essential items for each person and any pets in your home. Store your kit in a convenient place known to all family members. The kit should be in containers or bags (such as backpacks) that are durable, waterproof and portable for possible evacuation or relocation to an emergency shelter if necessary.
2. Dynamo rechargeable RADIO / FLASHLIGHT or extra batteries.
3. Drinking water (1 gallon per person per day), stored in clean plastic containers with tight-fitting screw-cap lids, and other beverages.
4. Canned food, manual can opener, and cooking fuel such as charcoal or sterno
5. Medications and prescriptions and contact information for family physicians
Special food and supplies for infants, elderly people, diabetics, etc. First-aid kit and first-aid manual
6 . Fire Extinguisher
7. Bedding supplies, sanitary supplies (toilet paper, feminine supplies)
8. Cards, books, small games, road maps
9. Clothing, rain gear, sturdy shoes, extra glasses or contacts
10. Credit cards and cash, extra set of car keys, insurance policy numbers
11. Picture ID List of important family information, style and serial numbers of medical devices, such as pacemakers
12. Food, water, medications, toys and carriers for all household pets
HOPE THIS LIST IS HELPFUL.
STAY SAFE!
