National Hurricane Preparedness Week: Be Ready Before Disaster Strikes

Posted by Lior Weinstein on Tuesday, May 28th, 2013
Category : Resources

National Hurricane Preparedness Week: Be Ready Before Disaster Strikes
National Hurricane Preparedness Week

Image source: Chapmansexperttreeservice.com

This is National Hurricane Preparedness Week. We’ve all seen the devastation caused by natural disasters such as hurricanes, tornadoes or other tropical storms. Some of you live in areas where you expect nature to become violent, but those of us in other areas are often taken by surprise. We should all be prepared in the event of a major storm.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Hurricane season is upon us and Mother Nature appears to be acting more vengeful these days. Weather experts predict a very active season. Maybe it is because of what we are doing to the earth, or maybe that is just the natural cycle of things. Either way, a tropical storm can destroy your home and possessions and in the worst case, cause loss of life.

We should always have an emergency plan for our family, whether it is for fire, flood, wind or earthquake risks.

Those who survive these events are the ones who have a plan. The National Weather Service advises that the keys to survival are preparing for risk and acting on those preparations. They have plenty of resources on their website, including a preparedness guide. The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) also provides information on their website.

Hurricane Sandy New Jersey Pier

Image source: Wikipedia.com

The National Weather Service recommends that you start by gathering information. The best way to organize this data is by using a PDF to Excel converter in conjunction with Excel. You can take all those PDF preparedness guides and add them to your spreadsheet.

If you are storing this information on your computer, make sure it is a portable device such as a laptop or a tablet. In a hurricane, your desktop computer is going to be useless, if it even still exists. To be safe, print out your spreadsheet and make a couple of copies so that you can find them in an emergency.

Keep important contact numbers in your spreadsheet. This should include all emergency services as well as your insurance company, hospitals, utilities, the American Red Cross and your relative and friends as well as neighbors’ home and work contact information. After a hurricane you have to be able to reach these people to ensure that they are okay.

You’ll also need emergency supplies. This will include water, food, battery, hand cranked and solar power light sources as well as a radio. A comprehensive guide and list of supplies can be found at ammo.com. Add this to your spreadsheet and do your shopping for these supplies now.

FEMA also supplies evacuation guidelines and other guides to help you prepare for the worst.

Hurricane Winds

Image source: Facebook.com

It’s not just your family that you have to worry about, what about your pets? If you leave them behind when you evacuate, chances are they will perish, or they will be lost, injured, or starve to death. Your pets are members of your family. The Humane Society provides tips on protecting your pets during disasters.

Sometimes there isn’t much you can do, but being prepared can mean the difference between life and death. Our hearts go out to those who have been victims of these natural disasters. It can take years to get your life back on track when you have lost everything. When the earth becomes an enemy, there is no way to fight back, you can only try to survive. Be prepared and while you are at it, consider those who have lost everything and make a donation to the Red Cross or other charities that help the victims of hurricanes and other natural disasters.

Latest From Our Blog