There are many supplies you should have on hand to be ready for a hurricane. First of all, start a shopping list for hurricane-related supplies. My list is on an 8-1/2 x 11 sheet of paper folded in half, with each of the four resulting sections representing a shopping location — the grocery store, a members-only club, a home-supply store and a discount super store.
Here are some of the must-have items that should be at the top of your list:- Water - No matter where you buy it, water should be at the top of your list. Disaster planners recommend at least one gallon daily per person, and enough to last three to seven days — that's 12 to 28 gallons for a family of four!
We buy a couple of cases of individual 8 oz. plastic bottles because that size is easily and quickly chilled. In addition, we keep on hand a couple of two-and-a-half gallon water containers, the kind with the spigot, for use in cooking. About eight one-gallon containers round out our water supply.
Tip: If you have an infant in the household, you will need additional water on hand for mixing formula. - Ice - You can never have enough ICE! If you have room in your freezer, keep a couple of bags of ice on hand. Even small freezers can be stocked with freezer storage bags filled with ice from your ice maker. Freeze plastic drinking bottles of water. These can not only be a water supply when they thaw, they will help keep items in your freezer cold longer.
- Food - Should a hurricane strike your area, it is important to have enough non-perishable packaged or canned food to last three to seven days. Use this list of non-perishable foods as a guide to make your own list.
- Can Opener - Remember that the power is likely to go out in a storm, so having a hand-crank can opener on hand is a necessity.
- First Aid Kit - Disaster planners encourage you to have a first aid kit on hand. Although the small first aid kits that you buy already stocked with supplies are alright, it is easy to put together your own kit... and many times cheaper to do so. Rod Brouhard, About.com Guide to First Aid has a list of what you should keep in your first aid kit.
- Flashlights and Batteries - As my community made hurried plans for one hurricane, I could help but notice that the store shelves were wiped clean of most all flashlights and batteries, so it is important to purchase these early and keep them in your disaster kit. You should plan for at least one flashlight for each member of the family, plus additional battery-operated lanterns that might be needed to illuminate gathering places. Make sure you have plenty of batteries on hand as well.
- Cooler(s) - We keep iced drinks in a cooler. In case of a power outage, this keeps the refrigerator from being opened too often during, thus keeping its contents cool longer. Another cooler can be iced and stocked with condiments, cheese and other simple foods for sandwiches.
These are items you should have on hand for clean up and repairing damage after the storm:
- Work Gloves - Protect your hands from sharp and broken objects by having a pair of work gloves for everyone that will be helping to clean up after the storm.
- Trash Cans/Bags - Have trash bags on hand for collecting debris after the storm.
- Wet/Dry Vac - Once power has been restored, a wet/dry vac will make quick work of tough storm clean-up. It picks up dirt, water and debris that household vacuums can not handle.
- Gas Chain Saw - It is likely there will be trees down after a hurricane. A chain saw is helpful for clearing fallen trees, branches and limbs from your property, streets and roadways.
- Cordless Drill - A cordless drill can be used to attach and detach storm shutters, board up broken windows, etc.
- Tarp - Protect your belongings from water damage in case of window or roof damage.
The following items are not necessarily necessities; but, if you can afford them, are nice to have in case of a lengthy power outage due to a storm:
- Gas Camping Stove and/or Grill - A small portable propane operated two-burner gas camping stove and/or a gas or charcoal grill is good to have on hand to cook and heat food.
Tip: Never use propane gas or charcoal grill in the house. - Generator - Generators are expensive, but worth the money in the case of a lengthy power outage. They come in various sizes — small ones may run just a fan or two and possibly a portable electric two-burner cook top and larger ones can run appliances, such as your refrigerator.
- Fans - One thing about hurricanes, they happen in the summer when temperatures are scorching hot. Add to that the humidity after all of the rain and the fact that most of us are used to air conditioning. You will be hot and cool breezes from a fan will feel really good. If you have a generator, you can usually run one or two small electric fans.
Tip: If you don't have a generator, consider the small personal fans with spray water misters.
What NOT to Buy
- Candles - More people die from candle-related fires after a disaster strikes, than from the disaster itself.
