Dariana Molina, with the American Red Cross of Miami Dade and the Florida Keys, joined Good Morning Keys on KeysTalk 96.9/102.5FM this morning to talk about hurricane preparedness.
With hurricane season upon us, it’s so important to be prepared.
Molina said, “We are seeing that we did have our first named hurricane. Luckily, it’s been in the Pacific, and doesn’t look like it will affect us, but it’s just another sign to that now is the time to get prepared.”
Having a plan is necessary.
Molina said, “Having a plan for your family, and that’s just knowing where you’ll go in case you do need to evacuate, it’s knowing those evacuation routes, having alternative ways to leave your home in case roads are closed. But then also it’s knowing what to do if you plan to stay home where your family will gather. The Red Cross recommends that you actually have two different kits prepared. So one of those being if you’re going to stay at home, another one if you’re planning to go somewhere else, to evacuate. So in your stay at home kit, you should have two weeks worth of non perishable food and water. That means that there’s one gallon of water per day per family member, and then non perishable foods, anything that won’t go bad, like granola bars. You’ve got your canned foods and I always like to say to not forget your can opener. Then you also need things like flashlights, hand operated radio, batteries for those things, just in case the power does go out at home.”
Please don’t forget your pets.
Molina said, “You also need a go kit for them. Make sure to include their food, their water, their important documents, vaccination records, for example and then a crate, a leash and collar, and then any toys that might make them feel comfortable.”
What are some things that are overlooked?
Molina said, “Something that we saw last hurricane season that I want to shed light on is that some of these hurricanes have different effects. For example, last year’s Milton brought onset tornadoes, so it’s not only being prepared for hurricanes, but it’s being prepared for any sudden disasters that may occur as well. Preparedness is key and now’s the time. If you don’t have a plan or a kit together yet, get your kids involved. Make sure to keep your pets in mind, and you can bring the whole family into doing that.”
Remember to clean up your yard, too.
Molina said, “That is a very good point. Any loose furniture, either tie it down and bring it inside. Make sure to put those shutters up and get your home protected if you do plan on leaving, or even if you plan on staying, of course.”
Storm surge can also have a major impact.
Molina said, “It’s really important to keep in mind too, even when the storm has passed, there are the possibilities of that storm surge being there afterwards, and it’s important to know that you shouldn’t be going outside. There could be downed power lines. That’s dangerous, and you don’t see that if there’s water on the ground. So being really mindful of those things and just staying safe overall.”
Volunteers are needed.
Molina said, “I just wanted to emphasize that we have a shelter heroes campaign going on right now. Volunteers already are the heart of our workforce, but shelter volunteers are so incredibly important because you’re on the front lines of helping those families that have been displaced by disasters. So if you want to be a volunteer, which I highly encourage, I would suggest that you go to the website to sign up. If you need more preparedness tips, you could always download our Red Cross emergency app, and it tells you how to prepare for every single disaster on there. So it’s very helpful.”
For more information, click here: www.redcross.org