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| 2017 - Three Major Hurricane Disasters In Just Over 30 Days |
#14,073
With Hurricane season just two weeks away, and other potential disasters - like earthquakes, tornadoes, wildfires, floods, etc. far less calendar dependent - now is an excellent time to take stock of your emergency preparations.
The standard advice, offered for years by FEMA and other agencies, has been that every home should have a minimum of a 3-day supply of emergency supplies; food, water, a first-aid kit NWS radio, and some kind of disaster plan.
Federal officials know that it would be better if every family had 5 days - or even a week’s worth - of food & water and other essentials in their home. But so few follow the advice to prepare for 72 hours, asking for more is thought to be counter productive.
Recent disasters, such as Hurricanes Katrina, Sandy, Harvey, Ike, Maria and Michael, however, have all shown that 3 days is not enough.Even though I was only lightly brushed by Hurricane Irma in 2017, my power was out for 4 days, and it took 7 to 10 days for local stores to be restocked. Store shelves were stripped bare 4 days before the storm arrived, and anyone not already prepared was pretty much out of luck.
Others in Florida were without power, water, or communications for a week, sometimes longer. In Puerto Rico, following Maria, the outages were measured in months, not days or weeks.
Last October the Florida panhandle was struck by a fast moving, rapidly intensifying Hurricane Michael, which a month ago was re-evaluated by NOAA: 2018 Hurricane Michael Upgraded To CAT 5.
Increasingly we're seeing advice from local agencies stretching the minimum recommendations for disaster supplies from 3 days to 7 or even 10 days (see When 72 Hours Isn’t Enough).While I'm not sure when the change was made, I noticed recently that Floridadisaster.org now recommends a minimum of a 7 day supply. And I'm sure they wouldn't be unhappy to see you extend that to 14 days.
Disaster Supply Kit
Ensure you and your family are prepared before the next disaster impacts your community. Following an emergency or disaster, you may lose access to basic services, such as power and water, and be subject to limited or no access to essentials like food and water. With that in mind, stock up on essentials now and build a disaster supply kit to last you and your family for a minimum of 7 days.
Each individual or family disaster supply kit will differ based on personal needs. Review the list below to help you get started on basic items to include in your kit. Assess your individual and family needs to determine other critical items to include.Floridadisaster.org goes on to list the items you will need, which include:
Basic Disaster Supply Kit Items
Water – You will need water for drinking, cooking and sanitation purposes. Pack a minimum of 1 gallon daily per person for 7 days.
Food – You will need enough for a minimum of 7 days:
Flashlight and Extra Batteries
- Non-perishable packaged or canned food and juices
- Manual can opener
- Foods for individuals with dietary restrictions (i.e. infants, elderly, etc.)
- Snack foods
- Cooking tools and fuel
- Paper plates and plastic utensils
Pillows, Blankets and/or Sleeping Bags
Clothing – Include a complete change of clothes suitable for your areas climate. Be sure to include sturdy shoes to protect you from debris or other sharp objects you may encounter outdoors post-storm.
First Aid Kit, Prescription Medication and Other Medicines
Radio - Battery operated and NOAA weather radio
Toiletries
Cleaning Supplies – Include garbage bags, moisture wipes and other items you may need to sanitize your home or surrounding post-disaster.
Special Items – Assess all family member needs. Consider other items needed for infants, elderly and individuals with access and functional needs (i.e. medical items, baby bottles, etc.)
Cash - Banks and ATMs may not be open or available for extended periods following a disaster.
Toys, Books and Games
Important Documents – Consider storing all critical documents in a waterproof container, as well as, saving them electronically. These items can include but are not limited to insurance, medical records, bank account numbers, Social Security card, etc.
Tools
Pet Care Items
- Proper identification / immunization records
- Ample supply of food and water
- Carrier or cage
- Medications
- Muzzle and leash
- Photo of you and your pet(s) – in the event you are separated from your pet, having an updated photo with your pet will help validate pet ownership.
Often disasters boil down to unscheduled camping - for days, or sometimes weeks - in your home, at a friends house, in a community shelter, or possibly even in your backyard.
If you think of preparedness that way, it becomes far less daunting.Each year I curate a list of low-cost `camping' (aka `preparedness') items that I have, or have given as gifts to friends and family (see The Gift Of Preparedness - Winter 2018).
Admittedly, some of the items in this list are more for comfort and convenience, than for survival.
But the physical and psychological impacts stemming from the hardships following a disaster are real (see Post-Disaster Sequelae), and a modicum of creature comforts can go a long ways towards mitigating their effects.While being prepared doesn't guarantee you a good outcome during and after a disaster, it significantly improves your chances.
