Hurricane Preparedness – Unusual Items
As we are in the most active part of hurricane season and as Tropical Storm Dorian approaches, we want to encourage everyone to be as prepared as possible. While it still seems unlikely that Dorian has a huge impact on our area, these storms are unpredictable. Anyone who has been in Florida for years has likely been through hurricanes before and probably believes “it’s nothing”, but we want to urge everyone to be prepared for all possibilities.
We all hear about getting water, non-perishable foods, and first aid kits, in fact, here is a link that will cover the most popular and important items to have: https://www.floridadisaster.org/planprepare/hurricane-supply-checklist/
In addition, we would like to add a few less thought of items to your list for a more comfortable experience, if there is such a thing.
Cash – Some people will think of this and others, hello millennials like me, will say “I have my card”. Well congratulations, but that won’t help too much if the power is out all over town. You can promise the clerk you have money on your card, but that isn’t going to get you that much-needed loaf of bread or case of water. Have some spare cash kept in a safe, dry place in order to make these purchases if the power goes out.
Solar Chargers – We live in the wonderful time of cell phones, but watching your battery life slowly slip away is not anyone’s idea of a fun time. Cell phones are a wonderful tool to have in order to communicate with family and emergency personnel, providing that the towers stay active. In order to keep your cell phone from dying if we lose power, get yourself a solar charger which will allow you to use the sun during the day in order to charge your phone to let your family know you are safe.
Solar Lights – Speaking of the incredible uses of solar power, do you have any of those cute solar garden lights? Yes, they look great in your flowers, but have you ever thought about bringing them in? After the storm if we lose power, set the lights outside during the day to charge, then bring them in at night! It’s a wonderful option that’s a lot safer than candles. Plus, you can put the stake of the light in a vase or cup so you don’t have to hold it unlike a flashlight.
Books and Games – While books and games may not be on a usual list for hurricane supplies, we feel it’s an important item to have to help maintain your sanity. Storm days are perfect for Netflix, but you can’t stream your favorite shows without power. Some good books to read, coloring books, and board games can help keep your family busy and still having some fun.
Baby Wipes – You may be saying “but I don’t have a baby” and that’s all well and good, but have you ever been stuck in a hot house without the use of water? Or maybe you have water but your kids are afraid of not having the actual light on in the bathroom? They may not work for everything, but baby wipes can provide everyone a quick way to clean up a little so your house at least won’t be smelling like a hot barnyard.
We hope everyone is well prepared and stays safe through this storm. If you have anything else unusual that makes your hurricane experience a little more pleasant, please comment and let us know!
By Erin Broderick