Hurricane Preparedness
Home Preparation Page

Written By Haskell Moore - W5HLM

The material contained in these pages are the author's opinions, and do not reflect that of any other person or entity.  
You are advised to seek expert opinion if you have questions or concerns about your specific emergency preparedness situation.

Getting ready for the storm

• Keep an extra month's supply of medication on hand if it is critical for your well-being

• In an emergency, cash is king!

  • ATM machines will empty out very quickly in an emergency

  • Have cash on hand to last you for several days.  Credit cards may be worthless if the phone lines are down.

  • Get a percentage of your cash in small denominations.  If the local store is out of change, you could end up spending $20 for a gallon of milk!

• Cut back all tree limbs that may blow into or fall on the house
• Remove all loose outdoor items, such as lawn furniture, toys and especially trampolines.  These will become airborne projectiles in a hurricane.

• In case family members are separated from one another during a disaster (a real possibility during the day when adults are at work and children are at school), have a plan for getting back together.  Ask an out-of-state relative or friend to serve as the "family contact." After a disaster, it's often easier to call long distance. Make sure everyone in the family knows the name, address, and phone number of the contact person. 

• Though you have the power to decide (unless there is a mandatory evacuation), you should always heed the advice of city, county and state officials in your area.

Getting ready for the storm

• Review your insurance policy.  Know what is and is not covered.

• Be aware that flood insurance has a 30 day waiting period. 

• Keep all important papers (birth certificates, marriage license, etc.) in a waterproof container and ready to go with you on short notice.  

• Use a video or digital camera to document contents of household.

  • Narrate your video tapes with pertinent information

  • Remember to look in drawers and closets

  • Record serial numbers of expensive items to provide documentation in the event of theft

  • Store the video tape or media away from the home!

Useful Links

Plylox Clips 
http://www.plylox.com

Bob Vila: Emergency Board Up 
http://doorsandwindows.bobvila.com/article/891.html

National Weather Service - Houston 
http://www.srh.noaa.gov/ifps/MapClick.php?CityName=Houston&state=TX&site=HGX

Futility Of Taping Windows Before A Storm
http://www.aoml.noaa.gov/hrd/tcfaq/C7.html

USDA Food Data 
http://www.fsis.usda.gov/Fact_Sheets/Keeping_Food_Safe_During_an_Emergency/index.asp

Texas Department of Travel Information 
800-452-9292

Home Preparation Checklist

Household	Comments
55 gallon garbage can (for holding water to flush the toilets)
Aluminum foil
Baby supplies such as baby food, diapers, baby formula, bottles, medicines, etc.
Batteries of various sizes to fit flashlights, radios, portable TVs
Blankets
Can opener - Manual
Cash	Remember, banks and ATMs may be closed if we lose electricity.  Get plenty of small bills!!!
Cell phone	Make sure it's fully charged!
Charcoal for grilling
Charcoal lighter fluid
Clorox	1/4 tsp per gallon of water will help purify water in an emergency
Contact list of family and friends
Coolers or Ice Chests: Coleman-type cooler to keep food cool	Consider having two coolers: One for ice and food that will be opened often, and one for just ice that can be kept shut except to remove ice.
Dry ice	Careful!  Touching dry ice with the bare hands can cause severe burns!
Duct tape	Get only high-quality tape, such as 3M or Scotch.  Cheap tape will ooze out the adhesive when exposed to summer heat.
Eye glasses or contacts	Extra pair of glasses or contacts
Fan: battery operated	Available at sporting goods stores
Feminine hygiene products
Film for still and video cameras
Flashlight	Consider a 3 "D" cell Maglite®.  It's rugged, dependable, and can double as a weapon if necessary.
Garbage bags - Box of 30 or more	1.1 mil or stronger
Gas for car	Some extra gas on hand may be worth its weight in gold.  If you have a generator, be sure to have sufficient gas for the duration you expect to use the generator.  Be very careful when storing gasoline around your garage or home!
Ice: Several bags for daily use
Lights: Area lights for stairs, bathrooms, etc.	A fluorescent lantern is a great area light for reading, dining, and making a home more livable in a power outage.  The Ray-O-Vac Sportsman Fluorescent Lantern is one of the most rugged and bright.  For children's rooms, stairs, toilet areas, I prefer the Coleman® LED Micropacker Lantern, Model 5319-700 (available at WalMart for about $10.00).
Matches
Mops and buckets for clean-up
Paper plates and cups	This reduces water needed for washing plates and cups
Paper towels
Pillows
Plastic sheeting or drop clothes	Plastic garbage backs can be cut along the seams and use in a pinch.
Pre-moistened towelettes
Propane tanks for gas grill
Radio: Battery operated AM-FM radio
Radio: NOAA Weather radio	Get the ones with the long, telescoping antenna.  The work better in fringe areas.
Shoes or boots: Hiking boots or walking shoes
Sleeping bags
Solar shower	Purchase at sporting good stores. Hang the container from a tree and enjoy a hot shower.
Sterno	For outdoor food preparation.  Do not use indoors!
Thermos for keeping beverages hot
Toilet paper
TV: Battery operated black & white
Twelve volt to 120 volt AC inverter
Water bottles	Partially fill plastic one-liter or larger soft drink bottles with water and place in freezer. The bottles will freeze without cracking. (They have stronger plastic than one gallon water bottles.) If the power goes out the frozen water will help keep the freezer cool. When the ice melts the water will stay in the container and you still have drinkable water. Do not use milk bottles; Its almost impossible to get all the milk out.
Water purification tablets	Purchase at sporting goods supply stores
Water: Cooking.  The Red Cross recommends at least one half gallon per person per day for seven days.	This may be best in large containers (that have been sterilized before filling) or five gallon containers.
Water: Drinking. The Red Cross recommends at least one half gallon per person per day for seven days.	Consider purchasing individual bottles (such as Ozarka).  This reduces waste and dirty drinking cups by allowing everyone to have their own bottle.
Water: Other water (for flushing toilet, washing hands, bathing).  Pool water is great for flushing toilets.	A 30 gallon plastic trash bag can transform a dirty trash can into an acceptable container of wash water.
Waterless hand cleaner / Sanitizer
Ziplock bags

 

All articles are property of Haskell L. Moore, and may not be reproduced
in whole or in part without written permission from the author.

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