Waterfront living in Fort Lauderdale - Hurricane Preparation 201

Sep
14

Welcome back to our Friday series on Waterfront living right here in Fort Lauderdale. I was thinking about all that is going on in the Gulf right now with Hurricane Humberto. I was reminded that we didn't have a hurricane hit last year so we are due for one this year. Goodness knows we know how to take care of ourselves and clean up after a hurricane. It seems that over the last few years, we have had lots of practice. So I wanted to remind you about some of the basics of hurricane preparedness before you needed it.

Develop a family disaster plan for you and your family. This isn't just the ones that live in your home. If you have relatives or friends that live in town, make sure to include them in your family plan. That way you don't have to worry about them if a hurricane hits and you can't reach them right away. According to the Hurricane Preparedness website, a family plan should include at a minimum:

A place that you all can meet when a hurricane or other disaster hits.
Make sure you have an emergency bag packed during the hurricane season.
Make a plan for your pets. They can't survive any easier than you can.
Do you know CPR? You never know when you might need it and then it is too late to learn. It's not something you want to wing.
Do you have a list of emergency numbers? Make a list and put it on your fridge or somewhere that everyone knows to look.
Make a family member out-of-state your central contact. This one surprised me just because I hadn't thought in this direction before. It makes sense, though. That way, if your family is scattered and can't find each other or get to the safe location, you can keep in touch with just one person and not have to make a lot of calls assuming you have access to a phone.
Is your insurance up to date and does it include flood insurance. Natural disasters and flood damage aren't covered by most insurance plans.

A quick and easy emergency bag should include some of the following. Be sure to tailor your bag to your specific needs. You will notice that I left out some particular items tat we all gravitate towards saving. Not to be harsh but your valuables should not take a spot that a life saving item might need.

A good, sturdy bag. I would hate for you to pack a bag that breaks when you least need the aggravation.
A radio and flashlight with batteries
Non-perishable food that doesn't need to be cooked. If you pack a can, don't forget a can opener. How frustrating would that be ?!?!
Bottled water.
A blanket
First aid supplies
A cell phone
Cash. Credit card machines don't work without electricity but some stores will calculate the price by hand and stay open.
Medicines ready to grab. This isn't something you can pack in advance so try to have them organized and ready to go on a moment's notice.
Personal items like toiletries, hygiene, and diapers for the babies

There are so many things you will want to pack but remember, you might be walking to wherever you are going so make the bag light or put it on wheels. I hope we don't need to put this information into practice but being prepared is the best way to go. Nothing like getting caught unprepared for a hurricane to make you have a bad day. Living near the water makes us vulnerable to having to be aware of the possibilities. I would be amiss if, in our waterfront living series, we didn't talk about being careful with the local weather.

Talk to you soon,

Christine

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