Preparing for the Atlantic Hurricane season

The Atlantic Hurricane Season has begun.

Whether hurricanes pass slowly or quickly, the havoc they wreak can, at least, upset routines and, at most, leave a path of destruction in its wake. Now is the time to prepare.

Don't be reluctant to talk with your family about the possibility of a hurricane.

Thought and action before the disaster helps family members react wisely. Families that work together to prepare for the problem will cope better than those who do not take precautions.

Consider how your children might react in a disaster, how you might react and how the crisis could affect each person's emotional and physical well-being.

Plan in advance for how to deal with a crisis situation.

Work together to help your children or other dependents understand the procedures.

These steps will allow each family member to think through a potential crisis situation without the tension of a real emergency.

Look around your house and yard. Is there anything that might become airborne in strong winds (container plants, hanging baskets, tools, lawn furniture, toys, bicycles, bird feeders, playhouses and doghouses, etc.)?

Make a list of things that need to be brought inside or tied down, and purchase the necessary equipment for anchoring.

Estimate how long it will take to secure things, so that when a warning is issued, you know how much time it will take to prepare.

Make the plywood covers now and store them. If you wait until you're under a storm watch, you may run out of time and the building supply store may run out of materials. Have masking tape on hand to reduce shattering of broken glass windows.

List the things you want to save in the order of their importance to you. Move your important papers now or add their location to a disaster plan list so you'll remember to move them when the time comes.

Important documents, like insurance policies, birth certificates, marriage certificates and mortgage papers should be kept in a safety deposit box.

Less important papers can be kept at home in waterproof packets or a water and fireproof storage container. For insurance purposes, keep a household inventory list along with photos and video documentation with these important papers.

The NC Cooperative Extension Service in Martin County has factsheets to help you prepare for hurricane season. The factsheets include, Meal Preparation and Food Safety After Power Failure, Foods that Require No Cooking, Protecting Your Valuable Records, Caring for Your Pets in an Emergency, Helping Your Family Prepare for Disaster and several others.

To obtain a copy of these factsheets or for more information, contact Lisa Smith by phone at 252-789-4370 or via email at lfsmith5@ncsu. edu.

Lisa Smith is the Martin County Extension Director and the Family and Consumer Sciences Agent.