Wednesday, September 6, 2017

A Lesson in Hurricane Preparedness

hurricaneHurricane Harvey hit southern Texas full force on August 25th, developing from a tropical wave and tropical storm before reaching hurricane status. It crossed the Windward Islands, Suriname, Guyana, Nicaragua, Honduras, Belize, the Yucatan Peninsula, as well as Texas and Louisiana.

After Hurricane Katrina

After Hurricane Katrina

Of course many people in the United States remember Hurricane Katrina in August 2005, which did a lot of damage especially in New Orleans, due to levee and floodwall failure. Many other devastating storms are also unforgettable, and one more may soon be added to the list: current Category 5 Hurricane Irma, which has reached the Caribbean. A Category 5 hurricane is the strongest hurricane that can form on Earth.

Back in October 2012, Hurricane Sandy hit New Jersey. Kim Barry’s house was destroyed during that storm. Kim shares some simple advice, which she says she wishes she “had done prior to the storm in preparation. Because I think it could be helpful to some people.”

“Besides some clothing, these are some things that I wish I had packed (besides just a change of clothing!) when we were evacuated: 

1. Paperwork regarding our flood insurance policy, including contact numbers.

2. Paperwork regarding our homeowners insurance policy, including contact numbers.

3. Photos we could not or would not be able to replace.

4. Passports, birth certificates, car titles, the deed to the house (some people store these in a safe deposit box at the bank, but we didn’t).

5. We also had to scramble after the storm to get our daily prescription refills, so take all the extra meds you have with you when you evacuate, or at least take all of your different doctors’ contact information so that you can reach them in an emergency to get your prescriptions refilled.

6. If you have pets, take your pet’s medications, vet records, and vet contact info. You may need to put up your dog or cats for a few days at some point after the storm while you work out living arrangements. Dog boarding places typically want your dog’s shot records, and it will be virtually impossible to get them if your whole town is under water.”

Thanks to Kim for having shared this invaluable information.

Join the conversation! 3 Comments

  1. Thank you for posting this article.
    It is very complete and informative, and applicable to any natural disaster. Our charity cares for orphaned Nepalese children by putting them into boarding schools and supporting them until they graduate. The April 2015 earthquakes that killed 9000 and left so many homeless in Nepal is another example of how anything can happen without warning. Hurricane warnings, while advanced, cannot tell people how to prepare and react, but articles like this one can greatly help. Again, thank you for this.

    RJ Fleming
    Cumming GA

    Reply
  2. Great info that makes a lot of sense. Hope I never encounter a hurricane but this is very helpful in case I do!
    DT

    Reply
  3. I hope nobody else goes through this, but if my experience can help someone else, I am grateful!

    Reply

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