Emergency Phones
One of the most important things you need to do is make sure that you have a way to contact people during a storm event. Although most people have a cell phone it may be a good idea to keep an old phone and a charger in your car. Older phones that can still get service (not outdated to technology) are able to dial 911 even if the cellphone plan has been disconnected. Although it is the law that even disconnected phones can still dial 911 you should always check with your provider to make sure that 911 service is available for your model phone. A prepaid Cellphone is also a good deal and will have an average cost of about $10 a month to keep active.
Emergency Food
In emergency situations you need food that does not need to be cooked or refrigerated. Having some canned food that you may not normally eat is a good way to have a dry clean supply of food. If the weather is cold enough you may be able to store some of your food outside but make sure it is protected from animals and being buried in additional snow falls.
Heating
Supplementary heat sources are important if loss of electricity stops your heater from running. If you have a fireplace you should make sure that it is in good operating condition. Store small amounts of firewood indoors near the fireplace to reduce your need to leave the home.
If you have propane or kerosene heaters you should take extreme care that you have them placed on a surface that will not ignite. That means no carpets or vinyl floors and wood is also not recommended.
Proper ventilation is very important with any heating source because the heat source will use oxygen to burn its fuel and in addition it will put off carbon monoxide gas which can cause death if its levels get too high.
You should never allow heating sources to run while you are sleeping. One small amber from a fire can pop onto a rug or curtain and cause a fire. In a storm emergency fire crews will not be able to reach your home to help you so it is very important to be extremely careful and take precautions that you may not take normally.
Emergency Electricity
If you find yourself in a storm and the power goes out it can seem like you have lost all control over your life. Having some battery powered flashlights is the first step to getting back in control. After many years of testing we have found that the simple 2 D Cell flashlights are best in almost all situations. They are small enough to carry with you and inexpensive enough that you can get one for everyone in the house. Standing the Flashlight on its base and lighting the ceiling of the room is a good way to get a broad amount of light in a room. The next step up from a flashlight is a small generator. Generators come in many sizes and styles. You want to look for 3 things when you pick your generator: Size or Amperage– will it run a small refrigerator and some lights in the home for an extended time. You want to check run-times listed for the generator which can be from 4 to 12 hours. Portability– You should store the generator in your garage or shed but when it is needed you will want to move it outside and near the home. Larger Generators may be too difficult to carry alone especially in storm conditions. The final consideration is noise – If the generator will be running for some time outside you will definitely want to look into one that is somewhat quiet. Honda makes some small camping generators up to 2000 watts that are very quiet but even if you pick a larger contractors grade generator you should consider any additional exhaust modifications that the manufacturer provides to get the noise down to a livable level.
Flood Zones
Flooding is one of the most dangerous situations for most people. Most people think that flooding can only occur around large rivers or at the ocean but there are many factors that can cause flash floods in areas that normally are dry during heavy rains.
One of the larger contributing factors is land development. Although precautions are suppose to be taken whenever a new housing development or shopping mall is built to reduce the possibility of water runoff accumulating there are always situations where drain blockages occur which cause backups of water.
Another situation is when rainfall rates are too high / fast for the ground to absorb the water.
But even in normal situations there are a large percentage of homes that are built in areas that are prone to 50 or 100 year floods. This means that you can expect some type of serious flood in your area during your lifetime.
The USDA Soil Conservation Service along with a number of other agencies work with state and local officials to design maps of flood zones. Flood Zone Maps show the X Height or the possible level of water during a 100 year period that could be expected in that area.
In addition to knowing if your location : Home, School, Work or the roads you drive every day are at risk of flooding due to normal storm activity you should also be aware of upstream dams and levies that can break at any time.
Winter Snow
One of the largest contributing factors to injury and death during heavy snow storms is the improper use of Snow Blowers and hand shoveling in depths that are too deep.
When a storm is expected to hit your area you should always prepare as you would for any other event by stocking up on a few days of food and making sure that your backup heating and electrical sources are ready to go. For some of us this is a constant situation during the winter months and fall checkups are necessary for any equipment that you will need to depend on.
If snow accumulates on your roof you may need to remove some of it even during a storm. Doing so will reduce the possibility of a cave in. To remove snow you will want to use a heavy metal rake not a leave rake but one you would use in your garden. Attach the rake to a long pole with duct tape and then use the back side of the rake to remove snow from the roof. Never point the teeth of the rake towards the shingles because this may cause damage to the roof.
Tornadoes and Hurricanes
High wind conditions can cause sever damage to any home. Not only can the wind alone cause damage but the materials that are swept up from the storm can hit your home and break through not only windows but through ceilings and straight through your walls.
If your home has a basement most people will say that it is a good idea to move to the basement and into a corner. If possible you can build some shelter with mattresses and you should make sure that any objects that could fall have been moved to the floor and away from you.
If you feel the need to locate yourself in your basement you should also make sure that you are not at risk for flooding. Tornadoes will not include heavy rain but hurricanes almost always cause flooding of streams and sewer systems.
Installing an Egress Window or cellar door is a great idea because it will give you a second way out of the basement.
One Final Note
Preparing for an emergency should always be done long before it happens.
Every person in the home should know where to meet in case of emergency. You should have a contact person outside of your immediate area .. either a relative or local police or fire department that all of you will call to notify each other that you are ok or need help.
And never think that your children are too young to understand there may come a situation where they are away from you and teaching them just a few simple things will help them stay safe.