Living in the northeast we don't usually have to deal with hurricanes. We normally have things like snowstorms to worry about so this is something that is new to us. With Hurricane Sandy just about on us i thought i would write some about some helpful tips/advice to those who may be affected or just want to read to gain some insight on. I'm sure that this checklist can apply to other disasters as well.
1. Secure all outdoor furniture, pots, etc because given a high enough windgust it can easily become a projectile and hurt someone or damage your house.
2. Make sure you have all the needed food and water supplies for i would say 3 days or more
3. Have first aid/emergency kit ready
4. Have all the necessary paperwork and identification ready if needed to leave
5. Make sure phone is charged and backup phone battery (if available). I'm planning on leaving my phone on airplane for the most of the day but turning off airplane for 15 minutes a couple times a day so i can check for texts and such.
6. Keep paper and pen on you or have it in a bag you plan on using
7. Make an escape bag and have it ready. (Fill it with items you would want to have on you if you needed to leave the house in a hurry. It will save time.)
8. Keep some cash on you since it's possible that the banks and atm's could be closed or down.
9. Trim and take care of branches and such that could be in the way of power lines ahead of time
10. Fill the car up with gas because the gas stations may not have electricity which is required to pump the gas.
11. Have gas for the generator in order to give electricity off. If you don't have one then consider getting one (Some run from 600-6,000). It's a back up just in case you don't have power for days. Some areas have common outages for weeks so it really depends on your situation whether or not you want to invest in one.
