Hurricane season officially started June 1 and forecasters are predicting a 45% chance of an above-normal Atlantic hurricane season this year, threatening both coastal and inland residents between now and the end of November.
To help families stay safe, the American Red Cross is issuing the top six hurricane preparedness tips should a hurricane or tropical storm head for your community.
Here are the top six things you should do now to be ready for Hurricane Season 2017:
1) Talk with household members and create an evacuation plan
- Be prepared to evacuate quickly and evacuate if told to do so.
2) Build an emergency kit
- Emergency kits should include:
- a gallon of water per person, per day
- non-perishable food
- a flashlight
- battery-powered radio,
- first aid kit
- medications
- supplies for an infant if applicable
- a multi-purpose tool
- personal hygiene items
- copies of important papers
- cell phone chargers
- extra cash
- blankets
- maps of the area, and
- emergency contact information
(Learn More about building a hurricane survival kit. Courtesy of The American Red Cross and YouTube)
3) Get access to NOAA radio broadcasts
- Purchase a battery-powered or hand-crank NOAA weather radio in the Red Cross Store.
(Weather radios with AM/FM/WB from Etón Corp. Self-powered (using hand-turbine energy to re-charge the internal battery) or charge with a wall adaptor for power when you need it. Courtesy of Etón Corporation and YouTube)
4) Protect windows with permanent storm shutters or invest in one-half inch marine plywood that is pre-cut to fit your doors and windows.
- Identify a place to store lawn furniture, toys, gardening tools and trash cans (away from stairs and exits) to prevent them from being moved by high winds and possibly hurting someone.
5) Be informed
- Learn about your community’s hurricane response plan.
- Plan routes to local shelters, register family members with special medical needs as required and make plans for pets.
- If travel is in your plans, learn about how emergency situations are communicated at your destination.
6) Download the free Red Cross Emergency App for expert guidance on what to do before, during and after hurricanes as well as 34 other types of emergencies.
- All Red Cross apps can be found in smartphone app stores by searching for American Red Cross or by going to redcross.org/apps.
(RedCrossMobileApp, courtesy of The American Red Cross and YouTube)
Visit here for full information about what to do before, during and after a hurricane.
The generous donations from members of the Red Cross Annual Disaster Giving Program (ADGP) and the Disaster Responder Program enable the American Red Cross to prepare communities for disasters big and small, respond whenever and wherever disasters occur and help families during the recovery process.
The American Red Cross shelters, feeds and provides emotional support to victims of disasters; supplies about 40 percent of the nation’s blood; teaches skills that save lives; provides international humanitarian aid; and supports military members and their families.
The Red Cross is a not-for-profit organization that depends on volunteers and the generosity of the American public to perform its mission.
