Surviving Severe Weather Fronts Regardless Of The Season
Being prepared for severe weather fronts means having the right equipment and supplies at hand. While it’s hurricane season right now, it’s wise to be prepared for other severe weather fronts that can occur in any season. After all, disasters come in many forms, and your family’s safety and survival could depend on your preparedness.
As you put survival kits together, include the following, as recommended by the Red Cross:
- One gallon of water per person per day
- Non-perishable food items that can be prepared easily
- Flashlight, radio and extra batteries
- First aid kit with bandages, gauze pads, antibiotic cream, antiseptic wipes, cold compress, tweezers and thermometer
- Basic and prescription medications
- Multipurpose tool
- Personal hygiene items
- Important documents such as insurance information, medication information, social security cards, passports, birth certificates and deed to the house
- Extra cell phone chargers
- Blankets and extra clothing
- GPS or map
There are several ways you can prepare to ride out storms that don’t require evacuation.
- Invest in a standby generator. Delaware is subject to hurricanes, heavy rainfall and other severe weather fronts that can cause power outages. A standby generator could prove useful for preserving perishable food, maintaining a comfortable temperature in your home and allowing you to go about your regular daily activities despite the outage.
- Use surge protectors. Everything from your electronics to your HVAC equipment can be damaged by power surges that occur during and after blackouts. Plug your equipment into surge protectors to guard them against these damaging power surges. In the event of an evacuation, it’s important to create a plan for your family in advance.
- Choose places to meet immediately outside the home in case of a fire or at a specific place in the neighborhood if you can’t return home. Decide where you would meet as a family if an evacuation is called when some residents aren’t home, such as a particular hotel or with friends and family living elsewhere.
- Plan ahead for your pets. Know where pet-friendly hotels are located along with animal shelters along your planned evacuation route. Have extra pet food and any other necessary items easily available in case of an emergency.
For more tips on preparing for severe weather fronts, or for answers to other heating and cooling questions, please contact Sobieski Services.
Our goal is to help educate our customers in Wilmington, Delaware and surrounding areas about energy and home comfort issues (specific to HVAC & plumbing systems).
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