Hurricane season is upon us, and unfortunately, storms won’t wait until you’re ready. It’s time to bump Hurricane Power Outage Readiness to the top of your to-do list.
Most people are never fully prepared for a natural disaster. Storms don’t happen at convenient times, and we don’t usually add “hurricane” to our calendar during an opening between meetings.
However, there are specific things you can do now to make sure that when a hurricane strikes, you, your home and your family will be as prepared as possible.
Storm Preparedness 101: Here’s a quick list of items you should take care of ASAP.
- Evacuation Plan: Know the recommended evacuation route, and keep your gas tank full.
- Supplies: Keep bottled water and other supplies on hand.
- Hurricane Kit: Include a first-aid kit, medications, a battery-powered radio, flashlight, batteries, whistle and local maps.
- Copy Important Documents: Back up your computer, and keep copies of important documents in a safety deposit box.
- Prepare Your Home: Secure or store outdoor items, and make sure your roof and shingles are in good shape to withstand strong winds.
- Back Up Your Power: Determine what type of generator you need in case of a power outage.
Where there are hurricanes, there are power outages. If conditions are unsafe, you and your family may need to remain at home. When the power’s out, appliances you depend on, like your refrigerator, electric stove, lights and A/C can’t be used. If you can’t charge your phone, use your computer or tune in to the local news, you’ll be cut off from communication, which is vital during a hurricane power outage.
During the summer months, losing the ability to cool your home is no joke. The heat can make your home unbearable, and continual high temperatures and humidity can damage your home’s interior. Losing power to your refrigerator means your food will go bad, and replacing all that you’ve lost can be incredibly expensive.
Hurricane power outage readiness should include the purchase of a generator. Owning a reliable generator ensures peace of mind during a power outage caused by a hurricane.
There are two main types of generators for hurricanes: portable and home standby.
A portable generator is a convenient solution if you only want to back up a few essentials. Portable generators come in different sizes, they run on either gasoline or propane, and they don’t need to be installed.
If you’d like to power more than just the essentials, or even your whole home, you may want to have a standby generator installed. Standbys never need refueling since they are connected to your propane or natural gas system. Your home standby generator starts automatically when the power goes out and returns to standby when power is restored, ensuring security and convenience for your family during a hurricane power outage.
Knowing that you have a safe source of power during an emergency is priceless, since the security and safety of your family is more important than anything else. What’s on your to-do list for hurricane season readiness?
