Susan Hilton College Station Real Estate
Realtor & Vice President of Sales of Bryan College Station Real Estate
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College Station Hurricane Disaster Preparedness List
August 4th, 2008 Categories: Family
Are you ready for a hurricane in College Station? Do you know what you need for you, your family and your pets?
I know we will probably only get MUCH needed rain and a little wind but are you prepared for the next crisis or for any other disaster that might strike? Being prepared is so much better than finding out what you need too late.
Vehicle fuel tanks filled
Water & food
- at least 1 gallon daily of clean drinking water per person for 3 to 7 days
- non-perishable packaged or canned food / juices
- foods for infants or the elderly
- snack foods
- non-electric can opener
- cooking tools / fuel
- paper plates / plastic utensils
Miscellaneous
- pillows, etc.
- seasonal / rain gear/ sturdy shoes
- medicines / Prescription Drugs
- hygiene items / Moisture wipes
- books and games for the kids
Communication
- Batteries
- Battery operated and NOAA weather radio
- Fully charged cell phone with extra battery and a traditional (not cordless) telephone set
Money
- Small bills
- Credit Cards
- Banks and ATMs may not be available for extended periods
Important documents -in a waterproof container or watertight resealable plastic bag
- insurance
- medical records
- bank account numbers
- Social Security card
Tools - keep a set with you during the storm
Pet care items
- proper identification / immunization records / medications
- ample supply of food and water
- a carrier or cage
- muzzle and leash
It is my hope that we get needed rain from this storm and there is no property damage, injury or loss of life. Being prepared is an essential way to keep you safe in the Brazos Valley and beyond.
Susan, what about you laptop???
I can think of a few more important things to add to this list.
A 5-gallon bucket with a roll of plastic trash bags and some sort of privacy curtain. If the power is out, you may not be able to flush because lift stations would not be running. If there was flooding in your area, wastewater systems might be flooded and out of operation. Anyone with an older field line septic system in a low-lying area would soon be unable to flush if there was significant flooding. Human and pet waste will need to be disposed of in some way. A spare toilet seat on top of the bucket might add some comfort.
A wind-up radio. There are several that provide regular and NOAA weather radio, flashlight, etc. that have a handle you wind to charge batteries or a capacitor that will run the light, radio, etc. for 30 minutes or so. When it runs out of juice, you wind it back up. No need to constantly make sure your batteries are fresh this way.
A sealed battery and a DC-to-AC converter. There are several types of batteries, such as the ones used on UPS systems for computers or for golf carts or motorized scooters, that are safe to store and use indoors. Sizes and capacity vary, but you will want the most amp hours that you can comfortably carry/store. By attaching a DC converter, you can plug ordinary electrical cords into that and run or charge anything that is absolutely necessary off of the battery.
An example from my own life would be my son’s nebulizer. He needs breathing treatments from time to time. With our old nebulizer, we had to plug it into a wall outlet for use. If the power was out, a battery and DC converter would make sure he could get breathing treatments even if the power is interrupted.
In College Station, Batteries Plus near Texas Ave. and Holleman would be a good place to look for these batteries and get more information.
One additional thing about batteries…by having a dedicated radio or flashlight just for emergencies, you can take the batteries out and put them back in BACKWARDS. This will make sure the batteries are fresh because they won’t run down significantly while in storage.
Come on Edouard! Bring us some rain, but leave the wind damage and flooding!