It’s Hurricane Season – Are You Ready?
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| No CommentTime for me to get the genarator out and change the oil. Better start it up to make sure it still runs.
Though 2008 produced five major hurricanes, a survey has found that a majority of residents living in U.S. coastal states have made no preparations for the hurricane season that starts Monday.
The Mason-Dixon poll found 83 percent of respondents made no structural improvements to their homes since last year. 66 percent did not have a hurricane survival kit and 62 percent did not have a disaster plan.
Captain Bill Wade of Tampa Fire Rescue says “Do you know what your family plan is? Do you know what evacuation zone you live in? Do you know where you’re going to go if the evacuation order comes? Do you have a disaster kit put together for your family?”
They’re tough questions but knowing the answers could save you and your family. It could also make life more comfortable if a storm is bearing down on the Bay area. Captain Wade says
“You want to have things such as plastic forks and knives, paper plates, all disposable items so you don’t have to clean them up.”
Wade spent his Saturday educating people about a multitude of topics related to storm preparedness at the Hurricane Expo 2009 held at the Museum of Science and Industry (MOSI) on East Fowler Avenue where plenty of people were trying to get prepared. There’s a lot to consider though. Wade says “Have you inventoried your property because if you do live in an evacuation zone and a good sized storm comes a lot of your property may get damaged and you’ll want to have some proof to show your insurance company?”
The expo was a one stop shop for learning how to protect your property during a storm. There were all types of vendors set up to show off their products and talk about their services. One vendor showed off an alternative to plywood by sliding it into a window.
Larry Gispert is the director of the Hillsborough County Emergency Management Office ands says right now is the time to plan. “Run from the water. Hide from the wind is our motto. The first 72 is on you.” Emergency crews recommend you be prepared to stay someplace with food and water for that length of time until crews are able to help you.
Meanwhile on Saturday at Meals on Wheels volunteers partnered with the Junior League of Tampa for the fourth year in a row. Their goal is to make sure that people who can’t get out to get the hurricane supplies they need get them delivered to them. Volunteers doled out 500 free hurricane kits that the Junior League of Tampa paid for.
Stephen King is with Meals on Wheels and says “We see the homeless on the streets. Many people don’t think about the homebound. If a storm comes we can hop in our cars and get out of town but for a lot of our homebound they can’t do that. So these supplies could literally be critical to their lives in the event of a major storm.”
Click here to make a hurricane plan or build a disaster kit for your family
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Preparing your home during storm season
The six-month hurricane season begins Monday, and as you put together your family’s supply kit, you may want to include these five items that aren’t normally on government lists.
Click here for a checklist of supplies for your family’s kit (PDF file). That kit is designed to get you through the first three days after a storm with no power, no water, and no government help.
After you’ve stocked up on those items, take a look at the five items below, which our news crews have discovered to be very useful to the families they’ve met during their years covering hurricanes.
Big water containers – Checklists recommend having one gallon of water per person (and pet) per day. Instead of storing all of that water in separate jugs, consider getting one or two big 6 1/2 gallon containers designed to hold drinkable water. They’re sturdy and easy to keep track of.
Gasoline – Even when gas stations have power, there’s no guarantee they’ll have a good supply of gas. Stock up with full tanks and a few gallon jugs beforehand to give your family peace of mind. Lines for gas in Mississippi after Hurricane Katrina stretched more than 1/2 mile.
Fix-a-Flat – Debris and roofing nails will be scattered everywhere after a storm. Towing companies will be hard to find and repair shops may be without power for days. A container of tire repair compound can be a big help.
Plastic tarp – You see them everywhere after a hurricane hits: tarps stretched over holes in roofs. But in the days after a storm, they’re hard to find and sell out quickly. Get one now and you’ll be ready if a few shingles are ripped away or a neighbor needs a hand.
Mosquito repellant – With the power out for potentially two weeks (as was the case in areas not even directly hit by Hurricane Charley), you may want to open the windows to get a breeze going. Mosquito repellant can make those times much less stressful on everyone.
Source: http://www.wtsp.com/
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