Hurricane Preparedness – How to Plan & Prepare for Natural Disasters

With hurricane season upon us, I thought it was important to touch on the subject of emergency preparedness. Although Hawaii has not been hit by a hurricane for many years, being vigilant in your planning and preparedness can make all the difference in your safety and quick recovery should a storm make landfall here on the islands.

Ways We Can Prepare:

• Update your disaster kit. A full list can be found at here, but for the basics, I suggest a minimum 3 day supply of non-perishable food and water for both humans and animals, battery operated radio, flashlights, extra batteries, cash, a first aid kit, and important documents.
• Gas up all your vehicles and any additional gas cans you may have.
• Fill up your bathtubs, sinks, and empty trash cans with water (this will allow you to flush your toilets should any water lines be down).
• Trim or cut down any damaged trees and limbs around your home.
• Clear clogged rain gutters and downspouts to prevent flooding. Cleaning the debris from any exterior drains and culverts is also important.
• Take inside or secure all outdoor furniture and decorations.
• Charge your cellphones and computer devices.
• Turn your refrigerator to the coldest setting and open only when necessary.

Ways We Can Plan:

• Create a household evacuation plan.
• Know your local evacuation routes.
• Name an outside contact, should your family members be unable to reach other.
• Identify a meeting location in the event that your family is separated during the storm.

Resources:

• Fema
• Hawaii News Now Hurricane Center
• National Hurricane Center