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Helene checklist: how to prepare for the hurricane

Helene checklist: how to prepare for the hurricane

Vaseline 1 week ago



CNN

If you haven’t prepared yet, now is the time. Hurricane Helene is expected to make landfall along Florida’s Gulf Coast near Tallahassee Thursday evening and then turn north, sustaining hurricane and tropical storm force winds and heavy rainfall across northern Georgia and into Tennessee. Up to 7 inches of rain is expected in the Carolinas, the National Weather Service said Thursday.

About 40 million Americans in five states are living under immediate hurricane or tropical storm warnings, according to CNN Supervising Meteorologist Brandon Miller.

In most areas, the strongest storms will hit overnight. This requires special preparations.

“If someone goes to bed at nine or ten tonight, it might not seem so bad. It’s just a bit breezy, maybe 20 to 30 miles per hour wind and rain. But by 2 or 3 a.m., wind speeds will possibly be 50 to 60 miles per hour, and so you need to prepare for that before you go to sleep,” Miller said.

Miller recommends turning up the volume on your phone or watch so you can hear any emergency alerts. It’s also a good idea to make sure these devices are close to you and fully charged. Many areas are expected to lose power overnight, and high winds could prevent crews from beginning restoration work.

Heavy rain can saturate the ground and high winds can cause trees to fall. So, if possible, it’s a good idea to sleep in a part of your house that is free of tall trees.

“That’s something people can do: Choose a room in their home that is most protected from falling debris, and sleep there tonight,” Miller said. In the event that the storm produces tornadoes, which is likely, Miller recommends sleeping on the ground floor in an interior room, away from windows.

Here are some other things you can do now to prepare and protect your family:

  1. Check the location of your nearest shelters. The Red Cross keeps a map.
  2. Pack a ‘go bag’ or box. Grab it if you have to leave home quickly. This is what should go in it.
  3. Make digital copies of all important documents. It can be important to simply take a photo of your driver’s license with your phone.
  4. Secure external objects. High winds can turn outdoor items into projectiles. Store outdoor furniture and move plants indoors.
  5. Stock up on non-perishable food supplies. The Federal Emergency Management Agency says it plans for a three-day food supply per person and per pet.
  6. Prepare for how you will use that food. Choose groceries that won’t spoil if you lose power. Grind your coffee beans or get instant coffee. Buy long-life milk or individual spice packets. Consider using paper plates and plastic utensils.
  7. Keep a basic first aid kit on hand. The Red Cross has some recommendations for what should be done in this regard.
  8. Also keep tools at hand. You may need a Swiss Army knife or Leatherman-type tool, a wrench or wrench to turn off utilities or a saw to groom tree branches.
  9. Find your flashlights and put new batteries in them.
  10. Fully charge all phones, tablets and computers. Download movies and TV shows to a tablet to save your sanity in case of a prolonged power outage and heavy rain.
  11. Have a backup power supply for your electronics, such as a power bank. Make sure you have charging cables for your devices in your car.
  12. Fill your gas tank or charge your electric vehicle.
  13. Prepare your generator. If you use a backup generator for power, make sure you have fuel for it and never use it indoors. Learn more about using backup generators safely here.
  14. Provide a way to obtain emergency information that does not require a connection. FEMA operates battery-operated or hand-operated radios. If you have a low bandwidth connection, you can use CNN’s Lite site.