Hurricane Preparedness - It's That Time Again!

Information gathered by Seniors Blue Book Staff from Local Agencies

A group of seniors met at a local senior center one year ago and brainstormed these ideas for hurricane preparedness. Everyone there went through Hurricanes Ivan and Katrina, so these are first-hand recommendations and are worth consideration. Here they are in abbreviated form; see if they apply to your plans.

• Cash on hand (plenty)
• Cell phone charger for automobile
• Clothes appropriate for several weeks and different environments
• Contact plan
• Electrical generator with extension cords (and safety information)
• Flashlights and batteries
• Food, non-perishable
• Fuel for automobile, generator
• Gas and charcoal grills for cooking
• Hot water supply (solar shower?)
• Manual can opener
• Medicine, 4-week supply
• Money (savings) available for insurance deductible (after storm)
• Nebulizers, portable
• Oxygen supply
• Personal hygiene items
• Plug-in phone (no house power required)
• Prescriptions for medicine (written on paper) from doctor, or computer printout
• Sanitizers and First Aid kit
• Seating arrangements, appropriate for senior citizens
• Tools for debris removal (saw, axe. ...)

The following ideas are for local agencies and organizations. Perhaps some of you can help organize this:

• Coordinate with relief agencies (Catholic Social Services, Red Cross, Baptist Missions)
• Establish crews from local high schools (for cleanup, ...)
• Homebound seniors, plan for this
• Neighborhood Watch for after-storm crime
• Plan for distribution centers including home-delivered meals

Special needs shelter:

• If you require life-support systems, know the location of your county's special needs shelter. This shelter will have a nurse, electricity, plumbing, and a good communications system.

Plan for evacuation:

• All important papers in one location, including advance directives and insurance
• Fuel required, account for delays/detours/high fuel consumption
• Have one central contact in a far away area code (through whom you can be contacted)
• Plan a route
• Plan for pets
• Pre-arrange a destination
• Prearrange your contacts (people out of the area)
• Turn-off water and gas
• Two-way radios for short-range contact