Hurricane Preparedness Checklist

September is National Preparedness Month. Take time to prepare your home and household for any severe weather that comes your way. Remember, hurricanes are not just a coastal problem; they can also affect inland areas with rain, water and high winds. Plan ahead and help prepare for a hurricane with this handy checklist.

✓ Create an emergency preparedness kit.

Depending on the severity of the storm, you may not have access to food, water or electricity for days. Have an emergency kit for your home ready to go that includes non-perishable foods, personal and financial records, a first aid kit, battery-powered electronics and more.

✓ Make a plan.

Have a meeting with all the members of your household to discuss your emergency plan. Designate one room to best protect you from high winds —a small, windowless room that is safe from flooding. If your home is in an area that is likely to flood, or if you live in a mobile home, plan to evacuate and find accommodations in a designated community shelter or at a friend or family's home.

✓ Prepare your home.

Can your home withstand hurricane-force winds? There are plenty of ways to help protect the exterior of your home during severe weather. Before a hurricane makes landfall, remove any outdoor patio furniture, clear debris from your drains and gutters, reinforce your garage doors and consider installing hurricane shutters.

✓ Create a personal property inventory.

Having a record of all your valuable belongings will help you out significantly if you have to file an insurance claim. Find out what you should include in your inventory and the best way to record it here.

✓ Consider buying a home generator.

A generator can help keep essential appliances and devices running during an extended power outage, including refrigerators, medical equipment, sump pumps, lights and phone chargers. Before you buy, decide whether you need a portable generator for key essentials, an inverter generator for quieter power and sensitive electronics, or a professionally installed standby generator for automatic whole-home backup. Add up the running and starting watts for the items you plan to power, then choose a model with enough capacity and fuel availability for your household. For safety, always operate fuel-powered generators outdoors, at least 20 feet from doors, windows and vents, point the exhaust away from your home, install working carbon monoxide alarms and hire a qualified electrician if you plan to connect a generator to home circuits with a transfer switch.

Ready to invest in backup power? Start by contacting South Shore Generator Sales & Service.

Source: www.foremost.com

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