Last week’s podcast was all about Hurricane Preparedness. Since moving to North Carolina in the Spring, Hurricanes have been on my mind. I know it’s very possible for a Hurricane or a few to graze the East Coast here… and frankly, it scares me.
When my hubby and I lived in Okinawa, Japan for 3 years during his final tour as a US Marine, we went through several typhoons… some really good ones… but for some reason, it was never very scary. In fact, we lived in a tower of apartments, and more often than not, we were hanging out at a friend’s house playing board games! I only remember one time that we lost power. For the most part though, we knew we’d be ok.
If you’ve never been through a hurricane before, Â here are some tips to help you get prepared…. It’s not a matter of “if” but rather, “when” one will come your way… so be prepared!
- Have a family disaster plan!
- Locate & know your shelters!
- Keep a list of your utility companies’ phone numbers!
- Electricty
- Gas
- Water
- Know where your local hospitals are and their phone numbers
- Know your local American Red Cross Chapter’s location and phone number
- Salvation Army phone numbers
- Have a plan for pets! They are not permitted in Red Cross Shelters so have a backup plan!
- Assemble a pet kit: medications, leashes, collars/harnesses, carriers, photos, food, water, bowls, information on feeding schedules, medication needed, name and number of your vet, etc.