Hurricane season has begun in the USA: step-by-step instructions on how to prepare for storms

On June 1, the hurricane season officially kicked off, which means it's time to prepare for the fact that storms will soon enter our lives again. In this regard, ForumDaily decided to tell you how to prepare for the arrival of the storm. Preparation will help you cope with the physical challenges of the elements while maintaining peace of mind. This knowledge will be useful not only on the eve of the elements, but also in the future: the risk of a hurricane exists everywhere.

Photo: Shutterstock

Essential items

1. Assemble the rescue kit

Buy enough food and water to last a few days, recommends WikiHow... Canned food is the only acceptable food for a hurricane. Be sure to check the expiration date to make sure the food is fresh. Always keep such supplies handy in case of an emergency.

Stock up on canned goods that do not require the addition of water or milk.

Take a bath if you decide to stay at home. The water in the average bath is enough for about three days. This, among other things, will allow you to flush the toilet with a bucket.

There is a lot of water in your home's water heater. On an average 150 liter water heater, there is enough water to support one person for a month.

The average person needs about 3,5 liters of water per day. Pets (dogs) need about 1,75 liters of water per day, while cats need much less.

2. Prepare a fridge and freezer

Do this when the storm enters your area and you can settle for a long time. Eat perishable foods first in anticipation of a power outage. Fill the refrigerator and freezer with bottled water and sealed, non-perishable food. The more your freezer is filled, the more products will be able to keep cold and maintain an overall low temperature. The same goes for the refrigerator compartment.

Put the maximum amount of water and liquid in the refrigerator; in the event of a power outage, this will help keep the cold longer. We hope - just before the time when electricity is restored.

Put all the ice you have in your freezer into plastic bags. Fill the entire space in the freezer with ice bags. Also freeze water bottles.

3. Stock up on the necessary medicines

Make sure you have the prescribed medications you and your family take regularly. Some insurances do not provide for replenishment of medicines until the previous supply is almost exhausted or runs out.

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If necessary, medicines can be purchased without insurance; weeks can go by without being able to replenish the reserve, putting your health at risk. During hurricanes, make a reserve of medicines with a margin, because in case of a storm, pharmacies will be closed.

4. Make sure you have essentials

You must have supplies to live on if you and your family find yourself locked in your home for a week without access to electricity, running water and shops. This includes light sources (battery or crank powered), hand can opener, first aid kit, and hygiene products.

Print out the First Aid Guide so you know what to do if this situation arises. Such guidance can скачать здесь.

5. Take stock with you

You can grab basic necessities with you if you decide to evacuate by car. Food and water will have to take less due to lack of space in the transport. But there are additional things that you will need if you decide to leave:

• torches;
• physical cards;
• connecting cables (cables);
• additional gas cans.

6. Check emergency items every couple of months

This is necessary to ensure that the supplies are in good condition and fresh.

This way you will be prepared for any unexpected situation. Create a list in which all items should be classified and dated.

Inflate air mattresses to make sure they do not need patches or replacements.

Use the battery tester to check the charge of spare batteries.

Strengthen your home

1. Make sure your home insurance is valid.

Sometimes home insurance does not include flood insurance, in which case you will have to buy it separately. It is needed in case a hurricane really does serious damage to your home, then you will have the guarantee that you can rebuild when this is over.

2. Protect windows

Close all doors and windows. If you don't have hurricane shutters, use plywood to board up your doors and windows. This will strengthen them so that wind and rain will not severely damage your property. It would be nice to reinforce the garage doors so that everything is protected there too.

This is best done as soon as you hear the hurricane heading towards you so that by the time the storm picks up speed, you are no longer outside.

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3. Learn how to turn off gas and power in your home.

Make sure you have all the necessary tools for the job. If you do not know how to do this, speak with a gas or electric company for instructions. When the storm comes, you should take all the necessary safety measures. Be sure to listen to officials during this time to know when it will be possible to turn on the gas and electricity again.

4. Cut trees and branches near the house and car

If a large tree falls on your house, it can break a large hole in the roof. If a big tree falls on your car, it will even break it very easily.

Remove dead trees and bushes. Have a gardener or utility company remove dead trees and branches and assess the health of plants that are located near the house.

5. Get a generator

If your family has special medical needs or needs air conditioning, be prepared to pay for a generator that can handle it. Search the internet for generator wattage calculators and make sure you don't buy more than you need.

Buy some gas cylinders on 20 liters. After a hurricane, there is usually a lack of fuel, and many gas stations even limit the amount of gas / gas that you can purchase after waiting in line.
If you can't buy a generator, buy a DC/AC converter. With it, you will use your car as a mobile electric generator. You will need a large extension cord to power your house.

Do not start the car or gasoline generator in the garage, because carbon monoxide poisoning can be fatal.

6. Assign a "safe room"

This is in case of violation of the integrity of your home. The "safe room" should have no windows or exterior doors, and preferably only one interior door. This will be a place for you and your family to retreat if the storm gets too severe. Make sure that this room has all the supplies in case you cannot make more than one excursion when you take cover in this room.

Create a plan for the family

1. Stay up to date

How often to watch the weather forecast is up to you, but if you start to feel depressed or panic, turn off this channel. Keep in mind that many hurricanes move slowly. As soon as you find out about the impending storm, most likely you will have several days to complete the deal. Do not lose your vigilance and do not take things too lightly, because, as you know, hurricanes can suddenly pick up speed or change course. Knowing the weather forecast will allow you and your family to be prepared for the worst-case scenario.

2. Find local escape routes

Check your city and region's websites for information on which roads to use if you leave the hurricane area. Be sure to test all the available options to see which ones will work best. Plan to use multiple routes, as you may not leave your home if the storm comes quickly.

3. Discuss and study the emergency plan

Make sure everyone in the family knows who to contact and how to stay connected out of range. If your family is somehow split up, you need to make sure each family member knows where to go to get to a safe place.

4. Inform your children

Make sure they know enough information so that an adult can contact this person if a sudden evacuation is necessary when you are not near them. If you have young children, write important contact information on the index card and give it to them if they are somehow separated from you.

If your older children have cell phones, make sure your contact information and other emergency numbers are on their contact list.

5. Choose an evacuation location

This may be the home of a friend or family member with whom you have arranged. Contact him in advance and make sure he will be in town around the time the hurricane is due. Be sure to find out where the nearest shelters are if you need to find shelter immediately.

You should evacuate if you:

• Live in a mobile home or in a trailer. They are unsafe even in Category XNUMX storms.
• Live in a high rise building. Winds are stronger at higher altitudes and this will cause the building to sway.
• You live near a storm-prone area. Make sure the house is not flooded by storm surges or waves.

6. Keep a physical copy of the emergency plan

Learned information can be forgotten over time, especially information that is not used in daily activities. When you and your family create a hurricane plan, write it down. Write down every step, location, and inventory for family members to review every few months to keep in their memory. Thus, in the event of a hurricane approaching, all family members will be able to move on to a ready-made plan, rather than trying to remember every detail anew.

7. Save some money

Leave some money for emergency use in the event of a hurricane. After the storm, you can use this money to restore anything that was not covered by insurance. This money may also be needed by friends, relatives or neighbors who may not have had insurance; they will definitely appreciate such help.

Tips

Stay away from windows during a storm.

A 20 liter bucket lined with a trash bag makes a good emergency toilet. An alternative is to dig a hole in your yard and use it as an emergency toilet. You can pour cat litter into a 20 liter bucket. This will absorb the liquid and allow the bag to be reused.

It will not be superfluous to purchase a car refrigerator that runs on a car battery. Although it is small, it can store a minimum of a day's supply of food and, of course, it should be replenished as needed.

Fill the tub with water before the storm hits if you plan to stay at home. This way, you will have a supply of water for flushing the toilet, drinking, cooking and more.

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Do not flush the toilet if there is no water in the tank. The waste left there will create an unpleasant odor in your home. Flushing the toilet requires about 4 liters of water. Instead, you can put a garbage bag in the toilet itself, and thus take out the waste from the house.

Stay away from sharp objects, especially if the wind is very strong.

Not everyone needs to follow all of these steps or tips. If you are not in the middle of the storm or close to it, you should not do this. In this case, you can only expect heavy rain and wind.

Communication and teamwork - the main thing in an emergency. Get together, work together and follow the instructions of the security staff.

Don't forget to buy a crank flashlight so you don't have to use batteries. But buy batteries for other battery powered equipment.

Take valuable objects with you, and wrap what is left at home with plastic and place it higher. Even if you are leaving, photographs, insurance papers and other important documents should be in tightly sealed bags.

Cards:

• Don't get lost when the epicenter of a hurricane passes by. This does not mean that the storm is over.
• Listen to the instructions of both the Red Cross and government officials.
• Do not hesitate to leave if: (a) you are under a mandatory evacuation order; (b) it is likely a Category 3-5 hurricane and you are within 160 km of the coast; (c) you live in a mobile home or camper, and a hurricane of some kind is moving towards you; (e) you cannot shut up or boarded up the house with planks.
• Remember that the risk of a hurricane is everywhere.
• The slower the hurricane, the more likely it is to be accompanied by heavy rain, which can lead to flooding. If the hurricane is moving very slowly and you live in a valley, move to a higher area. If the hurricane is moving very fast, most of the damage will be due to the wind.

What you need

• Self-charging lamps. This equipment is solar powered and / or has a hand generator built into the lamp and radio. This will save you money on batteries. Some of these models can charge mobile phones.
• Glowing sticks. They will be safer than candles if there are gas leaks in your area, explosive, flammable chemicals.
• Lanterns for a garden on solar batteries. You can charge them in the sun during the day and use indoors for illumination at night.
• Canned goods and a can opener, fruits, vegetables and other products that do not require refrigeration.
• Mobile phone and additional charged external batteries. Solar chargers are useful for long-term blackouts.
• DC to AC converter.
• Wet wipes.
• Battery powered fans will be very useful if the power is turned off.
• Plenty of batteries of all sizes (you can always use later what didn't come in handy during the storm).
  Consider buying a rechargeable battery to power battery-powered devices at home.
• Many large plastic garbage bags for the disposal of waste and other garbage.
• Stock toilet paper and other toiletries as needed.
• At least one bucket of 20 liters and cat litter (biodegradable) for use in the toilet.

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