Emergency officials recommend assembling a disaster supply kit well in advance of a storm. It should include:
First aid kit and essential medications.
Canned food and manual can opener.
At least three gallons of water per person.
Protective clothing, rainwear, and bedding or sleeping bags.
Battery-powered radio, flashlight and extra batteries.
Cash and copies of important documents.
Special items for infants, elderly or disabled family members.
Written instructions on how to turn off electricity, gas and water if authorities advise you to do so.
Also, make a disaster plan that includes how your family will communicate with one another and where to go if you evacuate. Plan on how to care for pets.
How to prepare your property before a storm:
Bring inside any lawn furniture, outdoor decorations or ornaments, trash cans, hanging plants and anything else that can be picked up by the wind.
Prepare to cover all windows of your home. If you don’t have hurricane shutters, use precut plywood. Taping windows isn’t recommended.
Fill your car’s gas tank.
Have ice to save refrigerated food if there’s a prolonged outage.
Turn off and unplug major appliances once power is lost to prevent damage when it’s restored.
If you have hazardous materials on or near the water, secure them before any foul weather.
Sources: American Red Cross, Dominion Virginia Power, U.S. Coast Guard
