In light of the coming storm and the potential for flooding in various neighborhoods, we want to share three useful safety tips, courtesy of Mass.gov and State of New Jersey Office of Emergency Preparedness.

1. Make a family emergency plan.

Listen to the evacuation alerts in your town. In case of emergency, separation, or evacuation, choose two places for your family to meet. The first place can be near the house, like a favorite family restaurant or a relative’s house. The second location should be farther away, beyond the evacuation area. Enter “in case of emergency” (ICE) contacts into each family member’s phone. Include the contact’s name, phone number, and address, and be sure to include at least one out-of-state contact. And keep those gas tanks full.

2. Prepare for power outages.

Charge those cell phones, laptops, and other electronic devices! If you have a portable battery charger, make sure it’s charged as a backup. Replace the batteries in your flashlights and stock up on candles, firewood, or a generator if necessary. Keep the doors closed to unused rooms in order to preserve heat, and set your freezer and refrigerator to their lowest settings. A closed refrigerator will keep food cold for about four hours while a closed freezer will keep food cold for about 48 hours. If you see a downed power line or if you are dependent on equipment that requires electricity, call 911. Bonus: Have a few games prepared that aren’t dependent on electricity. Our favorites are Quiddler, Scrabble, and Taboo.

3. Assemble an emergency kit.

Think of everything your family needs to be self-sufficient for three days: One gallon of water per person per day; a three-day supply of non-perishable food that does not need to be cooked; personal hygiene items, medications, clothes, and shoes; copies of any necessary medical information or important documents; a first-aid kit, whistle, wipes, and any necessary pet supplies.

Sounds super serious, but your safety is important enough to be take seriously! And taking the steps to ensure that the above items are in place will only help you feel prepared and secure in case things do get serious.

We hope that everyone is safe out there and that, if the need arises, we’ll all be good neighbors and help out in any way we can.

Sources:

“Prepare Your Home for Emergencies,” Mass.gov, 2018.

“Plan and Prepare for Emergencies,” State of New Jersey Office of Emergency Preparedness, 2018.