Storm Safety
Hurricane Season
Growing up on the Gulf Coast, we really only worried about one thing: hurricane season (June through November). Our local TV station provided storm tracker maps and text book covers for school kids with all the do’s and don'ts for storm readiness. We almost never saw snow and infrequently experienced tornadoes and twisters.
Flooding
Much of the Houston area is built on a flood plain below sea level, and as the city has grown, the flooding has worsened so much that homes that had not experienced flooding in the past have been completely ruined. Flooding from thunderstorms happens regularly, and the heat index just keeps rising.
Storm Winds and Power Outages
Last week, a tornado with winds of about 100 mph took out power lines across our area that are still under repair in some neighborhoods. Tornadoes and wind events are more frequent, and so are the resulting power outages and other damage.
A couple of years ago, we had an eleven-day freeze that crippled our power and water supply and left families without power for days. The results were tragic for some families in the Houston area. The question is not if a weather or other emergency is going to happen, but when it will happen next. The best we can all do is prepare our homes and families including having plans should you need to evacuate ahead of an event.
The websites list below and the checklist is a starting point for planning. Be sure to research local resources of information and help. If you can, volunteer with or contribute to the Americal Red Cross and other disaster-relief organizations. For information on the organizations who make the most of their contributions, check Charity Navigator.
Learn the safest places to be in a tornado, hurricane, or other disaster and how to prepare from these sources:
Staying Safe in a Tornado - CDC
Staying Safe in a Hurricane - National Weather Service
Staying Safe in a Storm - CDC
Staying Safe in other Disasters - Ready.gov (this site has many valuable resources)
Keeping Food Safe During and after a Power Outage - USDA
Additional Resources:
The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA): https://www.fema.gov.
The American Red Cross: https://www.redcross.org
Your state and local governmental agencies
Emergency Preparedness and and Evacuation Checklist
One gallon of water per person per day for at least 3 days
Non-perishable food (enough for at least 3 days) and any fresh fruit or baked items that travel and will stay fresh for the trip like apples, oranges, bread, cheese, carrot sticks. Cooler with dry ice packs and/or ice for any must-have refrigerated items.
Flashlights and extra batteries
Phone backup chargers, power banks, and mobile phones
AM radio with extra batteries
Local evacuation routes and maps
Emergency cash (including small bills and coins)
First aid kit: non-prescription pain relievers; - First aid ointments and sprays; - Masks; - Hand sanitizer
Medications for each family member, Doctor and pharmacy contact information; prescription eyeglasses
Baby go bag: - Baby formula, - Diapers, - Wipes, - Baby seat
Pet needs: Pet food, portable bowls, Pet vaccination records, Leash and collar with tags, -thundercoat, blanket and toys, Pet carrier, medications, extra water
Sleeping bags or blankets for each person
Changes of clothing (at least 3) with toiletries and medicine in a backpack, sunglasses and sunscreen
Food serving essentials: -Paper plates,- disposable utensils, -paper towels, quart or gallon resealable food bags, - paring knife, serving spatula, fork and spoon, - can opener, - trash bags; -Drinking cups
Activities for all family members: music, portable games, favorite toys and books
Non-perishables and Water
A sampling of the provisions available at our house now such as they are. We are eating vegan now (Susan and family), so the two lone packs of tuna are saved for Laurie. I have to up my non-perishables by thinking of them as making meals for my family.
I did figure out how to make a room temperature salad with cannelini beans, olives, jarred hearts of palm, jarred roasted red bell papers, olive oil, and balsamic or lemon juice and dried herbs - all ingredients on hand today.
Prepping for the next Storms and Power Outages
We bought a 4-day supply of water for our family, and now we are working on the other checklist items including our non-perishables and items like the 6-way phone charger and dry ice for the freezer. We now have the 6-way phone/ipad charger ready to go.
Prepare for fight and/or flight: Your first decision will be whether to ride out the weather event or evacuate. Both scenarios will go smoother if you prepare ahead of time. Your kit for either situation should include the following:
Create a book of important documents and a communication plan. This should include a list of everyone in your household, their contact information, and a plan for how you will communicate with each other if you are separated. You should also have a plan for where you will go if you need to evacuate.
Store important documents in a portable document safe Gather phone numbers and addresses for extended family and friends you may need to contact, Copies of driver's licenses, Birth Certificates, Passports, home Insurance policies, and an agent. You will need to keep cash on hand in case ATM machines and credit cards are not available during outages. A water-resistant, fireproof, portable document travel case is perfect for keeping all your documents safe and ready to travel.
Stay abreast of news feeds and have an AM radio available for public service announcements. You can get a hand crank radio that works even when the power is out. This model allows for solar recharging as well as hand crank. You will also be able to charge cell phones, and have a built-in flashlight.
Secure your home. This includes reinforcing doors and covering windows, trimming trees, and storing flammable materials safely. Keep a spray fire extinguisher on every floor of your home and the kitchen. Don’t forget to tie down or remove anything that could go flying and become a weapon in a high wind event, like lawn furniture, tools, trash cans, bikes, toys etc.
Prepare to save your refrigerated and frozen foods by keeping reusable dry ice packs in your freezer. In a power outage, some can be moved to the middle of the fridge to keep refrigerated foods cold. Be sure to keep the freezer and fridge closed. If you have to hit the road, or even if you are going camping or to the beach, these are great to put in the ice chest. If you get reusable dry ice from food shipping, be sure to put it in the freezer and save it.
Have a backup plan for your utilities. A generator that uses solar power, a car battery, or AC is a great alternative. Gas or propane powered generators are commonly used for running large appliances and home A/C and heat. Have bright, lightweight flashlights on hand for every member of the family with fresh batteries.
Have backup chargers for your mobile phones, like this battery pack that can charge up to six devices at a time and has a built-in flashlight and solar charger for additional power. Great for a family and for camping too.
Prepare for water issues. First, while you can buy enough water for several days or more but it will not meet all your needs. Consider a portable electric water filter that is meant for potentially contaminated water. The 5 stage filtration removes 99.99% of harmful bacteria and other water polutants. Lifetime Happiness Guarantee.
For a freeze or other potential water emergency, wrap pipes and draw water in advance. During our big freeze, water pipes were frozen, and we lost the ability to get tap water or flush toilets. I wish I had planned for this event and been prepared with a portable potty and a five gallon bucket, a bathtub full of water like our grandparents always drew for manually flushing the toilet, hand washing, etc. Water problems may also occur during storms when the drinking water can become contaminated or there is a drought. For droughts and other such water emergencies where you may need water to keep plants alive, consider a rain collection barrel
Prepare to rough it. An emergency portable water filter system, a basic cookstove, solid fuel or this Coleman 2-burner Classic Camp Stove to cook food without electricity. Have plenty of blankets, tarps, and/or and sleeping bags. Be sure to take any tools you might need.
Buy gallons of drinking water. For an emergency water supply, plan one gallon per day, per person.
Stock up on non-perishables and have a manual or battery operated can opener—our favorite is Kitchen Mama.
Stock-up on shelf stable food items that your family enjoys, like peanut butter, Graham crackers, protein bars, tuna pouches, canned foods, nuts, and other snack foods. Rotate them out to keep them from expiring. You can invest in pre-packaged foods designed to be shelf-stable. These vacuum-sealed, pre-portioned foods guarantee you will have food on hand for years to come.
First-aid supplies: Bandages, antibiotic ointment, pain relievers, etc. First Aid kit for travel or keep in your vehicle.
Refill Medications: A two-week supply of any prescription medications, a medication list for yourself and family members kept in your document safe.
Have a small toolkit or something like this Multi-tool: Can be used for a variety of tasks.
Pet supplies: If you have pets, make sure you have food, water, and other supplies for them as well. If you are traveling to evacuate, don't forget the harness and leash, a resealable bowl for food and water, a thunder coat, and/or anxiety medication.
Create a 72-hour kit for each person: Use a large adult travel backpack and a backpack suitable for your young teens and kids under 12. Pack the backpack for three changes of clothes, PJs, a soft jacket, a toothbrush, toothpaste, allergy and other medications, extra undies, or diapers.
Add something in the backpacks to keep children entertained, like traveling games, markers and doodle book, favorite books, and favorite toys. Update the backpack contents for the season and kids changing sizes.