Disaster?! What Happens to My Home?

Published by julia | Filed under Buyer / Seller Tips, Miscellaneous, Real Estate

The time of year is here when natural disasters frequent the parts of the United States lying on the border of the ocean. While the sunny days and white sandy beaches are a beautiful thing to wake up to every morning, there is a small price to pay during the Hurricane season each year. The disaster kit is essential for anyone living in Hurricane territory, but preparedness has never been easier.

Making the Emergency Kit

Any home owner can search online for a full list of “essentials” for the emergency kit. Often these lists will be repetition of the same items like water and prescription medications. While these items are important, there is a huge gap between daily necessities and making it out of harm’s way.

What Do I Really Need in My Emergency Preparedness Kit?

1) An Action Plan - If there is no action plan in place for escaping a hurricane, things can go from nervous to frantic in minutes. The action plan should include important phone numbers and the precise things to take on the way out the door.

2) 10 Gallons of Gas - Deciding to flea a storm could be a last minute decision. No one wants to be stuck in the path of a hurricane just because their car is low on gas and the lines at the gas station are a mile long. Keeping 10 gallons of gas on hand will offer just enough driving time to locate a station that is open and not flooded with people.

3) GPS System - Many people try to escape a storm by heading in the opposite direction of the hurricane. This is a great idea, but getting lost could cause you to head in the wrong direction and right back into the heart of the storm. The best bet is to watch the course of the storm and plan a route to any major city in the opposite direction. Major cities have better cell phone reception in the case something happens.

4) Solar Charging Mat. You read that right. There are solar charging mats that can charge a GPS system, cell phone and even a laptop.

Preparing for a hurricane should not be all about food and water. While these things are essential for life, staying in the path of the storm is often not an option. Unlike the tornado, there is sufficient warning during hurricane season to pack up, head out and survive the storm surge.