Disaster planning for family safety

When a hurricane hits, will you be prepared? Will your pets be protected? Will you have the resources necessary for your most comfortable endurance of a storm? Hurricane preparation tips and survival kits can safeguard the family from dehydration, hunger and loss of contact each other and other loved ones. With these tips, learn how to prepare your family before the storm strikes.

When Protecting Your Family 

To ensure family safety during hurricane season, take precautions and keep things in order.

Develop an emergency plan. Contact your local fire departments for evacuation routes in the case of an emergency. If you can't evacuate, make sure that your home address is easily identifiable to safety personnel.

Create family contact cards that contain all names, cell numbers, neighborhood and friend phone numbers and other valuable details in the event that your family is divided during a storm.

Designate a family meeting place with a clear address and easy accessibility. Establish an emergency contact to reach in the event that your family is separated.

Store copies of important documents. Store a copy of your homeowners insurance, flood insurance, and photos of personal belongings which will be necessary to file an incident report under insurance.

Prepare a disaster supply kit. Disaster supply kits can include everything necessary to endure a storm for a few days, from band aids and medications to canned foods and soap. Remember to include special items for babies, pets and the elderly. Some disaster supply kit essentials include clean water, medications, nonperishable food items and snacks, dry food for pets, manual can openers, hand sanitizers, flashlight and batteries (plus extra batteries and bulbs), toiletries, clothing and a first aid kit. (For a complete list of kit essentials, visit www.flash.org)

When Protecting Your Pets

Too many of us, pets are more than animals; they are family. In order to protect your pets during a hurricane, take precautions and make arrangements in the event of a disaster.

Before a hurricane strikes:

Develop an emergency plan. Contact local shelters, kennels and veterinary clinics to establish a safe location for storing your pets. Do you have an exotic pet? Contact your local zoo or other animal parks and services for special instructions. Some shelters that open during severe weather in Volusia County accept pets; find out where they are and make a note. Visit www.volusia.org/storm for details.

Create identification tags for your pets. Include home address and phone number on your pet's I.D. as contact information.

The keys to faring safely through a significant natural disaster or storm are preparation and planning. For your family, home, belongings, and pets, careful thought and preparation before an incident strikes will be well worth the investment.

7 Ways to Prepare Your Home In Advance of Hurricane Season

With hurricane season underway as of June 1, no one in Florida is immune to the possibility of heavy winds sending trees through windows, or the front doors flying off their hinges. It's a simple truth: The force of nature can be quick and punishing. Not only can homes be significantly damaged, treasured keepsakes and belongings also can be destroyed when rain causes internal damage to the house, too. 

 

Many hurricane-preparedness and weather websites advise readers to stock up on canned goods, gather items for a survival kit and cover all windows. These tips are important, but there are many preparations to ensure that your home itself is secure as well. From purchasing homeowners insurance to pruning shrubs and trees in the yard, you can lessen the risks of losing your investment during a hurricane.

 

Here are seven tips to prepare your home during a hurricane season when the severest weather strikes:

• Limit the amount of debris around your home by pruning trees and shrubs in the yard. A hurricane can carry debris into your house destroying windows and more. Pruning the yard will reduce the amount of flying debris and maybe prevent significant damage.
• Create a list of all items in the yard that should be stored inside during the storm. Storing all outdoor furniture and appliances inside can save money and time, keeping them from causing damage outside your or another's home, and the possibility of replacing it later.
•  Remove leaves and clogs from gutters to prevent flooding. Water damage takes a long time to repair. Clearing gutters is a simple yet important step to prevent flooding caused by their backlog.
• If there's a hurricane watch, turn up the settings on the fridge and freezer to the coldest temperatures. The food inside will stay colder, longer, in the event of a long-term power outage.
• Avoid windows to void flying glass! When it's time to hunker down, secure your family in a room or an area of the house that's windowless. This is the safest place to be when a severe storm hits.
• Use clean bathtubs and jugs to store clean drinking water. A steady supply of clean water will come in handy for consumption, bathing and cleaning if water lines in your community are disrupted.
• Know where and how to evacuate. Local officials may set up shelters or evacuation routes in your community in the case of an emergency. Know this information ahead of time. Consult the Volusia County Emergency Management's website at www.volusia.org/storm for tips, local shelter information and evacuation routes in case of severe weather.

Every hurricane is different, but with these tips, you will see the hurricane season through knowing you did all you could for the best possible outcomes. Preparation is time well spent.