If there’s one thing that Texas has shown us over the last few years, it’s that it’s no stranger to crazy weather! From tornadoes, to floods, to snow, storms—just about anything can happen in Texas.
The more prepared you can be the more you can ensure that you and your family will stay safe, and also minimize damage to your property. Here are some important tips you need to know for preparing for storms in the Lone Star state.
Create a Pla
Perhaps the best place to start is by developing a plan. You need to create an outline of what you should do before, during and after a storm. In a power outage, it’s important that you have designated roles for each person in the family since you won’t be able to communicate with each other by phone in many cases.
Do things like set up a meeting space, and who will grab what supplies and how. Even though it may seem like an extra bother, you don’t want to deal with it. It’s critical that you go over your emergency plan in advance, to make sure that when a storm hits, everyone knows exactly what they’re doing because they’ve spent plenty of time practicing it.
Put Together an Emergency Kit
An emergency kit is critical for ensuring you have all the supplies you need. Although your emergency kit may vary depending on your family’s particular needs and living situation, it helps to look up a list of suggested supplies that should be in everyone’s emergency kit.
Start with the basics like non-perishable food and bottled water. Experts recommend having at least a three day supply on hand that covers everyone in your family. You’ll also want to include things like flashlights and extra batteries, and of course, blankets and first aid supplies.
Prepare Your House
Protecting your home correctly can make a world of difference in how well your home weather is during a storm. You want to start by cutting back any trees or loose objects surrounding your home to avoid things falling on it and costing you serious damage.
Also consider cleaning out your gutters and drains to avoid excess flooding, and board up your windows as much as possible. This will help protect your home against high winds, and keep you even safer inside.
Stay Informed
Staying informed is a critical part of storm preparation because it allows you enough time to act quickly. The best way to stay informed is by downloading weather apps or signing up for SMS alerts.
Remember, this is only useful before the storm since you may not have any power. As such you may not be able to look at your phone to stay up-to-date with updates. That’s why having battery-powered radio is critical to ensure that you know all the important information in your area