Editor’s Note: Well, as we begin to work our way down the list of names for tropical storms or hurricanes, we find it important to check out this prep list put together by NOAA. Better safe than sorry couldn’t be truer.
This hurricane season is predicted to be a very active one. NOAA’s Climate Prediction Center is forecasting 13-19 named storms, 6-10 hurricanes, and 3-6 major hurricanes. Please take this time to review your hurricane preparedness and evaluate your Critical Incident Disaster Plan, including a plan for what you and your family will do in the event you need to evacuate due to a natural disaster.
Here are a few things you can do right now to prepare:
- Know the hazards that are present in your area.
- Review your insurance policies and confirm you have adequate coverage against each type of disaster you are vulnerable to.
- Take a household and animal inventory and store copies in a safe location or online. Cataloging your belongings with a home inventory might sound tedious, but how easy would it be for you to recall all the contents of your home if you lost everything? Taking a home inventory can save you time and headaches when filing a claim following a disaster.
- Prepare a disaster plan. Your plan should start with having somewhere safe to go. Think of someone who could house you, your family, and your wildlife. Talk to them about what might happen in the event of a disaster. Then talk to everyone who lives in your home about what to do if there is an emergency and you are unable to return in a timely manner.
- Have a communications plan. Consider that your family may not be together if a disaster strikes. How you will get to a safe place? How will you contact one another? How will you get back together? You will be better prepared to safely reunite your family and loved ones during an emergency if you think ahead and communicate with others in advance. Your family should have a list of emergency contact numbers they can phone.
- Have an evacuation plan. In some cases when you need to evacuate, there may not be a lot of time. Plan how to evacuate your home quickly and make sure everyone knows the evacuation plan.
- Supplies. In the event of a natural disaster please ensure that you have enough supplies to cover both your family’s needs as well as those of your wildlife.
- Practice the steps that are needed to disconnect your home’s gas, water, and electricity. Test your generators to ensure they are operational and have backup supplies.
- Before any disaster, you should inspect your home/facility and eliminate any potential hazards. In an emergency, ordinary items in your home can cause injury and damage. Anything that can move, fall, break, or cause a fire is a potential hazard.
- Community connections are important. Make sure you know your neighbors. Exchange phone numbers and keep an eye on elderly or disabled neighbors, or people with children – they might need extra help during a natural disaster. Have your Captive Wildlife Investigator’s phone number in the event of an escape or damage to your facility.
We encourage you to review your Critical Incident Disaster Plan. These plans ensure that you are proactive in preparing for any emergency event that could potentially disrupt the orderly operation of your facility and thus, adversely impact public safety.