Who would have thought I would experience a 5.8 magnitude earthquake and category 2 hurricane in the same week in the New York area? But rather than mull over probabilities, I am thankful that Hurricane Irene has given us a few days to plan ahead.
Hurricanes are violent storms which can bring intense winds, heavy rain, a storm surge, and floods. Category 2 hurricanes can sustain gusts of over 100 mph and storm surges of 6-8 feet. By August 25, the NY and NJ governors had already declared a state of emergency. Mayor Bloomberg ordered mandatory evacuations for people in low-lying areas of New York City, ahead of Hurricane Irene’s arrival, a first in the city’s history. These areas include: Coney Island and Manhattan Beach in Brooklyn; Far Rockaway and Broad Channel in Queens; South Beach, Midland Beach, and other low-lying areas on Staten Island; and Battery Park City in Manhattan. Across the Hudson River, in New Jersey, smaller low-lying cities like Hoboken have already asked residents to consider evacuation. Public transportation throughout the metro area is expected to shut down by Aug 27. Projections have the hurricane making landfall somewhere in the Northeast (New Jersey, Long Island and Connecticut are possibilities) on Sunday, August 28.
First things first: Visit www.ready.gov
www.ready.gov, the U.S. government site for emergency preparedness, is my go-to site for the most important things. I am stocking an emergency supply kit containing bottled water, non-perishable food, flashlight, batteries, prescription and key OTC medicines, radio, first aid kit, fully charged cellphone and charger, cash, picture ID, wet wipes of different types, plastic bags, ziploc bags of different sizes, change of clothes, credit and ATM cards etc. for 3-4 days. Our local home improvement and big box stores are already low on many of these key items. I don’t expect to be displaced, but do need to be prepared in case of an evacuation, so I shop first.
Scan paper copies and take electronic version on keychain drive
I keep the most important paperwork in a bank vault and some others in a safe room at home. Most bank and credit card statements are available in pdf online, so I don’t need to worry about those. Most of my financial records are already in electronic copy. I plan to store the most important of my financial records on a couple of flashdrives and take with me. These include home insurance, flood insurance, health insurance, last year’s tax return, W-2s, home closing statement or deed, driver’s license, Social Security card, proof of residence, wills, birth and marriage certificates, passports or other immigration documents, etc. I am not relying on solely on remote server backup.
Document and if possible safeguard valuables
Since my homeowners insurance policy covers contents at replacement cost, it is important to have a complete inventory of all valuables around the house. In addition, photos serve as great evidence. I plan to take photos, clear areas around windows, and relocate whatever is possible to “safe rooms” which our our case are rooms without windows (bathrooms, walk in closets). Since hurricanes pose a triple threat of high winds (covered), rain damage (covered) and flooding (less important, since I live on an upper floor), I am trying to prevent or minimize damage from both these angles.
Plan for utility disruption and protect appliances
I am fully expecting a disruption in electricity and water. Although I have reduced refrigerated and frozen inventory, I plan to keep the fridge running in the coolest setting, and shut off power to other non-essential appliances. Power surges and outages are common during hurricanes, and my surge protectors might fail me. I also plan to take a printout of key contact information and necessary documents that I might not be able to access in the event of loss of power.
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