Margate Emergency Management Coordinator Chuck LaBarre talks about preparing a Go Bag during a storm preparation meeting held in 2019.
By NANETTE LoBIONDO GALLOWAY
Downbeach residents and visitors are getting accustomed to having to deal with nuisance flooding, but what would you do if a major weather event resulted in local, county and state officials issuing a shelter in place or evacuation order?
As hurricane season heats up and 2020 has been a more active season than normal you should be prepared to shelter in place without electricity or leave in a hurry. Emergency management officials advise you to be prepared to survive at least three days without power in your home or without shelter.
One way to be prepared in the event of an evacuation is to have a go bag already packed with the essentials you will need to stay in an off-shore hotel, motel and possible, a shelter.
Because of COVID-19, be advised to include an ample supply of hand sanitizer and extra masks in your go bag.
- Three day supply of canned, non-perishable, ready-to-eat food and snacks
- Three day supply of water (a total of three gallons per family member)
- Eating utensils, scissors or penknife
- Change of clothing, don't forget the underwear, socks and waterproof outerwear
- Trash and plastic bags
- Towel, washcloth, soap, roll of toilet paper or tissues
- Battery-operated or wind-up radio and extra batteries
- Flashlight and extra batteries
- One week's supply of prescription medications
- First aid kit
- Personal toiletries, don't forget the toothbrush
- Non-electric can opener and utensils
- Special items for the elderly, infants, children, and pets
- Cash or travelers' checks
- Keep your vehicle's gas level at a minimum of half-a-tank.
- Store important documents in a waterproof plastic bag
- Every family member should carry contact information on their persons
- All phone numbers at work, school, etc. for every family member
- Before severe weather, make sure that all electronic devices are fully charged. If the power goes out save battery power by minimizing device use
- Portable phone charger/back up power supply for the car
- Change the settings on your phone to low power mode or place it on airplane mode to conserve energy.
- Store important documents on a secure, password-protected jump drive or on the cloud
- Use your phone's camera as a scanning device to capture electronic versions of important documents such as insurance policies, identification documents, medical records and copies of prescriptions
- Don't forget to include information about your pets and some dry pet food
- Consider creating a group listserv of your top contacts
- Create a group chat via a texting app or a thread for family/friends/coworkers to communicate quickly during a disaster
- Sign up for direct deposit and electronic banking, store passwords on a jump drive
- Federal benefit recipients can call 800-333-1795 or at GoDirect.org.
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