Hurricane preparation what do you put in your safety kits?

Question

I moved to a hurricane prone area, from an area that doesn't get hurricanes, and need to make a hurricane kit before hanna comes. I have a service dog and cat. what would you suggest putting in a hurricane kit? I know i need food and water for all 3 of us, a first aide kit, but what else??

thanks

Answer 1

Your kit needs to contain all the essentials that you will need for a 72 hour period. This means medical supplies that you require also.

Portable radio is almost a 'must' too. Stay as fully informed about any storms in the area. As you probably have noticed, storms seem to go from 'way down there' to 'right here' in what seems like 25 minutes. Pay attention to any risk in your area that may affect you in the next five days.

I am assuming that the service dog (Do you really have a service cat? If you do give them both a pet for me.) is required for some function, therefore I would make sure that I made every effort to get out of the area in a hurricane.

One of the biggest problems is that folks fail to leave early enough. Depending on the area that you live in, most bridges that are raised for ship traffic will be left open at any wind speed about about 40 MPH. This means you have to drive around this obstacle or find some other way out.

I can not stress enough about leaving early. Even after the incident has happened you may be looking at months of repair before basic infrastructure is again operational. In the average hurricane hit, it requires approximately 5 years for 'most' of the damage to disappear and approximately 10 years for the area to be fully recovered.

Notify next of kin where you are. The cell phones are jammed... the land lines are jammed... and you are not at home where you are expected to be. So call next of kin and tell them where you are at and that you are OK.

Answer 2

You need to keep your car gassed up.   If rain or wind from the hurricane causes power to be cut off, there is no way that service stations can pump gas.  Also take some extra money out of the bank, as if there is no power ATM machines do not work.  Neither do the checkouts in stores so food etc needs to be paid for by cash.   You need to have all your important documents (passport, birth certificates, insurance etc) all in a secure box ready to take with you.  Also if you can, take photos of your property before you leave.  So if you do need to make an insurance claim, you have evidence of how it was (inside and out) before the hurricane.  Get crates for your pets. You are best to have at least one good torch and extra batteries for it.

If you can board up your windows do so.  Make sure you leave nothing around loose outside (garden furniture, plant tubs etc)  Have a case packed with clothes for yourself.  Plus towels, toiletries etc.  And a sleeping bag.  Make sure you take any medication you are on with you, and that you have enough to last you for 2 - 3 weeks at least.  And if you can let family that are out of state know which shelter you are making for.   As you do get plenty warning with hurricanes, you could arrange to go stay with any friends or relatives that are within a day or so drive from you, if you can.  

Get a weather radio and also listen to all updates on the local TV channel.  And ALWAYS leave yourself extra time.  If there is word of a possible evacuation.  Get stuff ready, and leave.  do not wait around just in case it is not so bad.

Answer 3

Well first off, make sure your hurricane kit is hurricane proof! Maybe a big plastic bin. Also, you should get together important documents like your birth certificate, social security card, home owners insurance, flood and wind and hail insurance and put them all in a plastic container to put into your plastic bin. You should keep these documents in the bin through out hurricane season, then when hurricane season is over, you can put them back where they belong. Its good to do this, because sometimes, a storm can develope so quickly, you wont have time or remember to do all these things. Its also good to keep some cash in there with you, along with the other basic items, food, water, batteries, flaslights, candles etc. Another good thing to do, that doesnt deal with your hurricane kit, is to fill your bath tub with water (for the toliets, and just to have fresh water, not drinking water) and also wash all your clothes and towels before any kind of big storm hits. Also make sure everything outside is picked up, so you wont have to worry about your patio furniture flying all over the place and damaging your property and your neighbors property. Hope that was a help!