As the entire east coast prepares or was hit by hurricane Sandy we urge everyone to be safe and take precautions
- If you have an infant on a bottle, have enough bottles on hand so that you won’t have to worry about how you can wash them if there is no clean water. And be sure to either have single use sized cans of formula, or an ice chest with plenty of ice to store any opened cans of formula.
- Stock up on anti-bacterial hand wipes, gel hand cleaners and paper towels in the event there is no water for washing or bathing.
- Have a two week supply of any prescription medications, as well as personal care items (tooth brushes and paste, hygiene products, etc.).
- Have a well stocked first aid kit in the event of injuries. Disinfectants, antiseptics, antibiotic creams, bandanges, cotton balls, aspirin, Tylenol, and a thermometer are some of the basics you need.
- Make sure all vehicles have a full gas tank.
- Have several changes of clothing for each member of the household, and if you have a baby still in diapers, have a two week supply on hand.
- Go over emergency instructions with everyone in the household
- Make sure everyone is accounted for at all times
- Since water/flooding caused by tidal surge is the leading cause of death and destruction in hurricanes, it is crucial to be aware of your surroundings. If you observe water coming into your house, get to an upper floor immediately.
- If you have pets that stay outside, bring them in during the storm
- Have enough cash on hand to last for a while in the event you can’t get to the bank or an ATM.
- Secure all outdoor furniture to reduce the amount of damage to it, and to help prevent it from being thrown against your (or someone else’s) home, and causing more damage to the exterior of the home and the outdoor furniture.
- Stock up on bottled water, as well as non-perishable foods that can be prepared and eaten without having to be cooked. Be sure to have enough food and water to last for everyone in the home for a week, including pets. And don’t forget a can opener and a clean, sharp pocket knife.
- Stock up on battery powered flashlights, candles, and have a battery powered radio.
- Secure all outdoor furniture to reduce the amount of damage to it, and to help prevent it from being thrown against your (or someone else’s) home, and causing more damage to the exterior of the home and the outdoor furniture.
I know hams like myself have already been activated and ask to be on standby if communications go down and to run emergency communications for counties. We have our go kits ready with 2 meter radios and j-pole antennas.
Ham radio operators were very important in the North Carolina Area when Sandy ripped thru there around October 26, 2012. They were put on standby because amateur radio is reliable means of communications in emergencies since they do not rely on wires only on airwaves, and can be run on battery for a very long time.
Businesses are already thing disaster recovery filling generators, preparing warm sites, getting off site backup done making sure that if they lose power or internet connection they can continue running their business or protect their business by not losing data. We are hosted on the west coast so our servers will stay dry and safe at all times.
I have already been told it could be 7 to 10 days without power. Everyone be safe and be ready.