Getting yourself, your home, your car and your boat ready for the storms ahead.
Get the essentials ready now: when you are collecting supplies to see you through the storm, make sure there is enough of everything for two weeks. Keep these goods in a place familiar to all family members in airtight containers or plastic bags.
* Supplies check list
* Food check list
* First-aid check list
* Your "safe place"
* Check lists for anyone with special needs or medical conditions
* Emergency phone numbers
Be sure to include these items:
* Flashlight
* Extra batteries
* Bottled water (At least one gallon of water per person per day)
* Battery-powered radio
* Battery-powered lantern
* Matches or lighters
* Insect repellant
* Sunscreen
* First aid kit
* Over-the-counter medications like pain relievers, stomach medicine, sinus medication, etc.
* Prescription medications (enough for one month!) and list of medications for each person
* Form of Identification
* Evacuation route maps (Southeast LA | Southwest LA)
* Canned food and non-electric can opener
* Plastic silverware & paper plates
* Paper towels
* Special items for infants, elderly or disabled family members (enough for 3 weeks, just in case)
* Ready to eat canned meats, fruits and vegetables
* High energy foods - peanut butter, jelly, crackers, etc
* Vitamins
* Utility knife, shut off wrench, and pliers
* Gasoline and/or extra generator fuel
* Axe in attic
* Tape
* Compass
* Paper and pencils
* Extra pair of glasses and sunglasses
* Plastic sheeting
* Soap
* Personal items (soap, shampoo, razors, shaving cream, deodorant, toothpaste, toothbrush)
* Toilet paper
* Plastic garbage bag and ties
* Bleach, other cleaning supplies & disinfectant
* Pet food (1 month's supply)
* Protective clothing, rainwear & work gloves
* Clothing and bedding: a change of clothes, footwear 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)
* Written instructions on how to turn off electricity, gas and water if authorities advise you to do so (remember: you'll need a professional to turn them back on)
* Use this Red Cross guide to preparing for a hurricane.
Important papers to take with you in a portable, waterproof container:
* 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
Protecting your Home:
* Insurance coverage (most insurance companies will not write policies once a named storm is in the Gulf of Mexico)
* Bring in or secure anything that can be picked up by the wind (children's toys, lawn furniture, trash cans).
* Plan to protect your windows: buy plywood or other protective coverings early. Most hurricane experts agree, taping your windows is a waste of time. However, 3/4 inch plywood, or a similar material, may make a difference if your neighbor's garbage cans are caught by the wind. Most hardware stores will cut your plywood to your specifications (measure all the windows you want to cover), then pre-drill your screws around the plywood about 18 inches apart. When the time comes, half the work is already complete. Be sure your ladder and screw gun are ready
* Trim your trees: get rid of weak or dead limbs
Red Cross brochure on protecting your home (PDF, 1 page)
FEMA brochure on protecting your home (PDF, 8 pages).
* Boat Owners: click here for a Boat Hurricane Preparedness Guide (PDF, 12 pages)
Get the essentials ready now: when you are collecting supplies to see you through the storm, make sure there is enough of everything for two weeks. Keep these goods in a place familiar to all family members in airtight containers or plastic bags.
* Supplies check list
* Food check list
* First-aid check list
* Your "safe place"
* Check lists for anyone with special needs or medical conditions
* Emergency phone numbers
Be sure to include these items:
* Flashlight
* Extra batteries
* Bottled water (At least one gallon of water per person per day)
* Battery-powered radio
* Battery-powered lantern
* Matches or lighters
* Insect repellant
* Sunscreen
* First aid kit
* Over-the-counter medications like pain relievers, stomach medicine, sinus medication, etc.
* Prescription medications (enough for one month!) and list of medications for each person
* Form of Identification
* Evacuation route maps (Southeast LA | Southwest LA)
* Canned food and non-electric can opener
* Plastic silverware & paper plates
* Paper towels
* Special items for infants, elderly or disabled family members (enough for 3 weeks, just in case)
* Ready to eat canned meats, fruits and vegetables
* High energy foods - peanut butter, jelly, crackers, etc
* Vitamins
* Utility knife, shut off wrench, and pliers
* Gasoline and/or extra generator fuel
* Axe in attic
* Tape
* Compass
* Paper and pencils
* Extra pair of glasses and sunglasses
* Plastic sheeting
* Soap
* Personal items (soap, shampoo, razors, shaving cream, deodorant, toothpaste, toothbrush)
* Toilet paper
* Plastic garbage bag and ties
* Bleach, other cleaning supplies & disinfectant
* Pet food (1 month's supply)
* Protective clothing, rainwear & work gloves
* Clothing and bedding: a change of clothes, footwear 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)
* Written instructions on how to turn off electricity, gas and water if authorities advise you to do so (remember: you'll need a professional to turn them back on)
* Use this Red Cross guide to preparing for a hurricane.
Important papers to take with you in a portable, waterproof container:
* 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
Protecting your Home:
* Insurance coverage (most insurance companies will not write policies once a named storm is in the Gulf of Mexico)
* Bring in or secure anything that can be picked up by the wind (children's toys, lawn furniture, trash cans).
* Plan to protect your windows: buy plywood or other protective coverings early. Most hurricane experts agree, taping your windows is a waste of time. However, 3/4 inch plywood, or a similar material, may make a difference if your neighbor's garbage cans are caught by the wind. Most hardware stores will cut your plywood to your specifications (measure all the windows you want to cover), then pre-drill your screws around the plywood about 18 inches apart. When the time comes, half the work is already complete. Be sure your ladder and screw gun are ready
* Trim your trees: get rid of weak or dead limbs
Red Cross brochure on protecting your home (PDF, 1 page)
FEMA brochure on protecting your home (PDF, 8 pages).
* Boat Owners: click here for a Boat Hurricane Preparedness Guide (PDF, 12 pages)
