A hurricane is no light matter. You will want to take the proper precautions as Hurricane Earl approaches the eastern coast of the United States. The following are tips on how to prepare for this powerful force of nature.
Evacuate if ordered to do so
Be safe. If you are in an area that is ordered for evacuation, then do so. Material goods are not as important as your life or that of your family.
Get plenty of water
At times, people do not have safe drinking water after a hurricane. It is important, therefore, to get enough water to see you through for a good while after the storm. Remember that stores might not have power and might not be open for a while. Water is essential immediately. In addition (but not instead of) you can get other drinks like juices. If your kids drink a lot of milk you can actually buy some that do not need to be refrigerated and are in what look like juice boxes.
Make sure that you have plenty of food
You want to be able to eat while you ride out the potential aftermath of Hurricane Earl. Make sure that the food does not need to be refrigerated because if the power goes out you will not have that. Instead buy things like canned beans, canned cooked pasta and other shelf stable foods. You can get boxes of cereal, which can stay good for a while.
See to baby needs
Make sure that you have enough formula and baby food. Again, it may be a while before you get out after a storm.
Make sure that you fill up the gas in your car
Gas stations may not be functioning after the storm. Fill up your tank now so you can get where you need to go.
Make sure you have a radio
You will want a radio to hear the latest news on Hurricane Earl if your power goes out.
Have items to light up the house in case of a power outage.
Get plenty of candles and matches as well as flashlights.
Make sure that you have plenty of batteries
You might not be able to plug things in. You do not want your flashlight to fail because you do not have batteries. Think about how many you might go through.
Get plenty of medication
You do not want to run out of your essential medications. Make sure that you have enough.
Put up your shutters
If you have shutters and Hurricane Earl is approaching, then you might want to put them up. You do not want to wait so long that the storm is already on top of you.
Move things outside that could become flying torpedoes
There are many things outside that you might want to put away or tie down. For instance, some patio furniture might fly at your house and break a window. You want to clear out as much as possible these items.
Have a family plan as well as know your community plans
If things get very bad outside during Hurricane Earl, then know where inside your house is the safest (i.e. away from the windows). Know the community emergency numbers. Learn about the dos and don’ts of hurricanes such as not going outside during the eye and generator safety rules.
With Hurricane Earl approaching, you want to be well prepared. Consider the above tips to aid you.
