With Hurricane Irene looking like it is going to be the first major hurricane of this hurricane season it is a good time to start looking at what you should do if you find yourself in the line of the storm.
During the time heading up to the storm it is very important to keep an eye on your local news station to stay up to date on the latest news concerning the storm. If you are asked to evacuate it is important to do it as soon as possible. The longer you wait to evacuate the harder it might be to get out of town due to traffic issues.
Don’t wait until the day the storm is suppose to make landfall before you start preparing for it, you will want to start getting ready well before it hits. In preparing for Hurricane Rita I spent an hour and half waiting in line at Wal-Mart two days before the storm was scheduled to hit. The day the storm was hit I decided to make a last minute run to the store finding that their stock of water, batteries, and other essentials were gone. In the days leading up to the storm making landfall you will want to visit the bank and withdraw cash. If the storm hits knocking out power you will not be able to get cash out of an ATM, or use your debit or credit cards, and banks will not be open.
Fill your car’s gas tank up with gas, and keep it full. We have all seen the news reports showing the mad dashes to fill up with gas during an evacuation, and believe me you will not want to have to wait in those lines. You also run the risk of gas stations running out of gas during an evacuation.
While you are filling up your car’s gas tank you will also want to fill your grill’s propane tank up, if you have an extra tank you will want to fill it to. In the event that your power does go out you will still be able to cook on the grill.
Get any prescription medicines you take on a daily basis filled. After the storm hits you will not be able to reach your doctor or pharmacy to get refills.
If you have to evacuate take a video of your home documenting it’s conditions, and contents before you leave. Take the video with you, as it will make things easier when you have to deal with the insurance company. In addition to the video take your birth certificate, marriage certificate, social security cards, and insurance policies with you as well.
You might also want to consider adding texting to your cell phone, as after the storm there is a high probability that your cell phone won’t work. However, many how found after natural disasters that they can still use the texting service on their cell phone, which helps when contacting out of state family members.