Prepare for Hurricane Season

Hurricane Season is just around the corner - make sure you and your family is prepared.

Locate a safe room or the safest areas in your home. In certain circumstances the safest areas may not be your home but within your community.

Pick an alternate meeting place in case your home cannot be reached

Have an out-of-state friend as a family contact, so all your family members have a single point of contact.

Post emergency telephone numbers by your phones and make sure your children know how and when to call 911.

Know how to disconnect/switch off all utilities

Install smoke detectors and test them on a regular basis to ensure that they are working properly

Take a first aid course

Make plans for anyone in your family who may have special needs: (e.g. the elderly or small children) and also for your pets.

Have a family disaster kit - Always store your kit in a convenient place and in an easy-to-carry bag:

· Water: store water in plastic containers, 1 gallon of water per person for each day, allowing for up to 3 days.

· Food: store non-perishable food and ready-to-eat canned meats and vegetables, juices, soups, and high energy foods (e.g., peanut butter, nuts and dry cereals, candy, coffee and tea, sugar, salt, vitamins, biscuits).

· First-aid kit: bandages, adhesive tape, scissors, needles, antiseptic, pins, latex gloves and cleaning agents. Also include all prescribed medicine and non prescription medicine for pain, anti diarrhea antacid, laxative and something which may be used for poison control (e.g., syrup of ipecac or activated charcoal).

· Tools and supplies: battery operated radio and batteries, flashlight, tape, needles and thread, plastic sheeting, paper and pencil, matches (keep in water proof container), whistle, can opener, fire extinguisher, garbage bags.

· Personal hygiene products: toilet paper, feminine supplies, disinfectant, chlorine bleach, toothbrushes and toothpaste.

· Clothing, shoes and bedding.

· Important family documents should be kept in a safety deposit box along with a complete home asset inventory. If a safety deposit box is unavailable - documents should be kept in a water proof, portable container: including wills, insurance policies, deeds and stocks, passports, bank account details and credit card information, as well as other family records, such as birth/marriage certificates.

Remember: practice the family plan and maintain the supply kit, by rotating your food and water supplies and by regularly checking your batteries.