Take some time this week – Hurricane Preparedness Week – to make sure you have a hurricane evacuation plan. The first thing you need to do is find out if you live in a storm surge hurricane evacuation zone or if you’re in a home that would be unsafe during a hurricane. If you are, figure out where you’d go and how you’d get there if told to evacuate. You do not need to travel hundreds of miles. Identify someone, perhaps a friend or relative who doesn’t live in an evacuation zone or unsafe home, and coordinate with them to use their home as your evacuation destination. Be sure to account for your pets, as most local shelters do not permit them. Put the plan in writing for you and those you care about.
Just having enough supplies to make it through a hurricane isn’t enough. You need plenty to make it through what could be a LONG recovery period too. Water and electricity could be out for a week or more. Have enough non-perishable food, water and medicine to last each person in your family for a MINIMUM of one week. Also make sure you have extra cash, a battery-powered radio, flashlights, and a portable crank or solar powered USB charger to charge your cell phone.
Find out more preparedness tips at stpgov.org
Survival: How Being Prepared Can Keep You and Your Family Safe by Lt. Gen. Russel L. Honore (U.S. Army Ret.) Preparedness Tips: Store survival kits in a convenient place known to all family members. Keep a smaller version of your supplies kit in the trunk of your car, at work, and at school. Keep them in airtight plastic bags, if possible. Change your stored water supply every six months so it stays fresh. Replace your stored food every six months. Ask your physician or pharmacist about storing prescription medications. Rethink your kit and family needs at least once a year.
Lieutenant General Honore is a native of Lakeland, Louisiana. He was commissioned a Second Lieutenant of Infantry and awarded a Bachelor of Science degree in Vocational Agriculture upon graduation from Southern University and A&M College in 1971.
Read more at generalhonore.com
