Come Rain or Shine: 8 Important Ways to Prepare for Dangerous Weather
You can’t control the weather, but you can prepare for it. If you know dangerous weather is coming, get ready. Here are 8 ways you can prepare.
Dangerous weather rarely occurs at convenient times. Often it comes quickly and at full force. Because of this, it is helpful to do your severe weather planning well in advance.
Severe weather can cause a lot of costly damage. In fact, every state in the country has experienced at least one billion-dollar disaster since 1980.
Preparing your home and family for a weather emergency may seem like a burdensome and unnecessary process but the effort is worth the results and peace of mind.
Being prepared in such an emergency may not only end up saving your wallet but also your life.
Read on, and we’ll walk you through our eight key tips for severe weather preparation.
- Have an Emergency Preparedness Kit
When a dangerous storm reaches your area, you are going to want to stay indoors. Before this crucial time arises, make sure that your home is properly stocked with all of the supplies you will need to stay safe and comfortable inside.
It is advisable that you have enough supplies in your home to adequately last you and your family seven days. Try to keep these supplies in an easily accessible yet separate area from the rest of your daily supplies.
Make sure that your family members all know where this emergency kit is stored and that they understand the supplies within the kit are for emergencies only. The last thing you want is to open your kit in a time of crisis and find that all of your saved water has been used up.
Also, be sure to keep your kit updated and remember to be mindful of expiration dates. A good rule of thumb is to revisit your kit when you change your clocks for daylight savings.
In your kit, you should have one gallon of water per person per day. You should also stock non-perishable, ready-to-eat foods and a mechanical can opener. A deluxe first-aid kit and battery-powered flashlight, as well as an AM/FM radio plus extra batteries, are also advised.
For winter emergency kits, you should stock up on extra blankets and sleeping bags. For hot weather kits, sunscreen and extra warm-weather clothing are recommended.
- Have a Family Emergency Plan
The first thing you are going to want to have is an emergency contact who lives out-of-state. During an extreme weather situation, it may be difficult to connect with people in your area and can be easier to reach someone in an unaffected location.
Every person in your household should have the name and phone number of this emergency contact and should be in communication with this person once a weather emergency occurs.
A helpful tip is to store this contact in your phone as ICE (In Case of Emergency). This will make it easy to locate that person in your contacts and, if anyone should come upon your phone, they can know who to call.
Be sure to draw a floor plan of your home and designate a safe space where household members can congregate should an emergency take place. Familiarize yourself with your neighborhood and look into local emergency shelters so you know where to go if you cannot make it home in time.
- Buy A Generator
Even if the conditions of the storm aren’t so severe, they can still knock out your power. This means no internet, no lights, and no refrigerator. This is where an emergency generator really comes in handy.
Plus, if a flood occurs, your electric sump pump should take care of the excess water – until the electricity goes out. Having a generator is a helpful way to make sure the pump stays on and you avoid water damage.
- Get Flood Insurance
Flooding is among one of the most common and costly natural disasters in America. And it can affect homes anywhere, not just in high-risk areas. In fact, just one inch of water in a home can cost tens of thousands of dollars in damage.
In the United States, over 20 percent of flood insurance claims come from homes that are not in high-risk areas. If you live in one of these communities, you may be qualified for a Preferred Risk Policy. This policy will provide you the same level of coverage as a standard policy but only cost you a few hundred dollars per year.
Average flood insurance costs vary by area so it is advisable to do some in-depth research when considering an important purchase such as this.
- Prepare Your Home for Dangerous Weather
During a storm, it is common for weak or dead tree limbs to break off and impact a nearby home. When you have heavy rain and wind combined with a weak foundation, a tree can actually be uprooted and cause major damage. Keep your trees trimmed and be on the lookout for ones that appear to be in bad condition.
If you live in a particularly windy area, consider purchasing hurricane shutters. These powerful fixtures are mounted over your home’s windows. This can be extremely helpful because if your window happens to break, that could mean an endless amount of debris and rain entering your home.
You also want to cover and shelter your outdoor property as much as possible. If you can park your car inside your garage then definitely be sure to do that.
Also, remember to bring in any garbage cans and outdoor furniture. Not only can these items blow away or break during a storm but they can become dangerous hazards to other objects, homes, or people if they start blowing around.
Be Prepared for Dangerous Weather
When it comes to dangerous weather, a little preparedness can go a long way. Look up what kind of natural disasters your area is most prone to so that you can be as informed as possible.
Emergency preparedness isn’t always easy or fun but by following the above severe weather safety tips, you can rest easy knowing that should any emergencies come up, you’ll know what to do.
Need help with other household concerns? Check out our informative articles for more.
