Never Too Late For Hurricane Preparedness on The Florida Suncoast

As of this writing, we are halfway through hurricane season.  For seasoned Floridians, we know that doesn’t really mean much when the latter months often bring on much unwanted tropical cyclone activity.  Now is the critical time to stock up on supplies to help with everything from crucial to creature comforts.  And if there are means available to purchase extra, then be neighborly and think of those who may not have as much during and after these storms.  The beautiful thing that always follows a weather event is the outpouring of concern people show to one another and how it brings a community together.  Much of that comes from actively helping someone clean up their yard, remove debris, and help them restore their homes.  But if you can stock up and help with supplies, it is always appreciated.

One of the earth’s elements which we entirely take for granted and that becomes our first priority post-hurricane is water.  If you are lucky, and your home is still sound, even though the outside is ravaged with downed trees and your power is out for some time, if you have water, you feel like you are winning. 

In addition to purchasing bottled water before a storm, there are other ways to stockpile clean water in the event you won’t have running water.  It is recommended that you have on hand a gallon of water per person per day so planning for a two week outage for a family of four can become daunting.  Filling a bathtub with water will help supply drinking water, flush toilets and can be used for cleaning. Why Fill Your Bathtub With Water During a Hurricane – Evolving Home. Many people also fill their washing machines with water or ice to chill drinks.  Freezing water in sanitized containers How to Store & Use Water Safely During a Hurricane or Natural Disaster | Simplify  will provide cold drinking water for a day or so after a storm in the event you do not have a generator to power a refrigerator.  Then you will have drinking water on hand or for boiling water for meals cooked on a grill. 

The CDC provides guidelines for treating water in an emergency situation including boiling water, using chemicals and light and other safe methods.  Please visit How to Make Water  in an Emergency | Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene (WASH)-related Emergencies and Outbreaks | CDC for more information. 

Photos courtesy of National Hurricane Center Facebook page.