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government officials, not the Red Cross, issue evacuation orders when
disaster threatens. Listen to local radio and television reports when
disaster threatens. If local officials ask you to leave, do so immediately!
If
you have only moments before leaving, grab these things and go!
-Medical supplies: prescription medications and dentures.
-Disaster supplies: flashlight, batteries, radio, first
aid kit, bottled water
-Clothing and bedding: a change of clothes and a sleeping
bag or bedroll and pillow for each household member
-Car keys and keys to the place you may be going (friend's
or relative's home)
If
local officials haven't advised an immediate evacuation:
-If there's a chance the weather may get worse or flooding
may happen, take steps now to protect your home and belongings.
Do this only if local officials have not asked you to leave.
Protect
your home.
Bring
things indoors. Lawn furniture, trash cans, children's toys,
garden equipment, clotheslines, hanging plants, and any other objects
that may fly around and damage property should be brought indoors.
Leave
trees and shrubs alone. If you did not cut away dead or diseased
branches or limbs from trees and shrubs, leave them alone. Local
rubbish collection services will not have time before the storm
to pick anything up.
Look
for potential hazards. Look for coconuts, unripened fruit, and
other objects in trees around your property that could blow or break
off and fly around in high winds. Cut them off and store them indoors
until the storm is over.
Turn
off electricity and water. Turn off electricity at the main
fuse or breaker, and turn off water at the main valve.
Leave
natural gas on. Unless local officials advise otherwise, leave
natural gas on because you will need it for heating and cooking
when you return home. If you turn gas off, a licensed professional
is required to turn it back on, and it may take weeks for a professional
to respond.
Turn
off propane gas service. Propane tanks often become dislodged
in disasters.
If
flooding is expected, consider using sand bags to keep water away
from your home. It takes two people about one hour to fill and
place 100 sandbags, giving you a wall one foot high and 20 feet
long. Make sure you have enough sand, burlap or plastic bags, shovels,
strong helpers, and time to place them properly.
Remember.
Houses do not explode due to air pressure differences. Damage
happens when wind gets inside a home through a broken window, door,
or damaged roof.
Cover
the outside of windows with shutters or plywood. Use shutters
that are rated to provide significant protection from windblown
debris, or fit plywood coverings over all windows. Tape does not
prevent windows from breaking. All tape does is prevent windows
from shattering. Using tape on windows is not recommended.
Protect
your valuables.
Move
objects that may get damaged by wind or water to safer areas of
your home. Move television sets, computers, stereo and electronic
equipment, and easily moveable appliances like a microwave oven
to higher levels of your home and away from windows. Wrap them in
sheets, blankets, or burlap.
Make
a visual or written record of all of your household possessions.
Record model and serial numbers. This list could help you prove
the value of what you owned if those possessions are damaged or
destroyed, and can assist you to claim deductions on taxes. Do this
for all items in your home, including expensive items such as sofas,
chairs, tables, beds, chests, wall units, and any other furniture
too heavy to move. Store a copy of the record somewhere away from
home, such as in a safe deposit box.
If
it's possible that your home may be significantly damaged by impending
disaster, consider storing your household furnishings temporarily
elsewhere.
Gather
essential supplies and papers.
You
will need the following supplies when you leave your home; put them
all together in a duffle bag or other large container in advance:
-Flashlight
with plenty of extra batteries
-Battery-powered radio with extra batteries
-First aid kit
-Prescription medications in their original bottle,
plus copies of the prescriptions
-Eyeglasses (with a copy of the prescription)
-Water (at least one gallon per person is recommended;
more is better)
-Foods that do not require refrigeration or cooking
-Items that infants and elderly household members may
require
-Medical equipment and devices, such as dentures, crutches,
prostheses, etc.
-Change of clothes for each household member
-Sleeping bag or bedroll and pillow for each household
member
-Checkbook, cash, and credit cards
-Map of the area
Important
papers to take with you:
-Driver's
license or personal identification
-Social Security card
-Proof of residence (deed or lease)
-Insurance policies
-Birth and marriage certificates
-Stocks, bonds, and other negotiable certificates
-Wills, deeds, and copies of recent tax returns
All
information obtained from American
Red Cross
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