Emergency Preparedness - Hurricane Irene

With the recent earthquake and the current threat of hurricanes on the east coast... I thought it important to bring up the Emergency Preparedness Kit again. I know I told everyone I know to get an Emergency Kit together a couple years ago so you may have followed this advice? If you did - great. Now it's time to pull it out again and check the contents. Even though the hurricane Irene threats are not going to effect us on the west coast, it's still a good reminder to check your kit and make any changes needed. For instance, check batteries in flashlights and change them out, and make sure that any food/water/meds that you put in there are not expired. Most importantly, check your chargers to make sure they are still working. I do NOT recommend solar powered chargers like I have seen on the news. Obviously these are not going to work at night and you can't be sure how much sunlight you are going to have in a hurricane or other natural disaster. I recommend the hand crank type charger so that you will always have a charge even in the dark. The one I purchased came with several different connectors so that you can charge many different things (many different phones). What you want to check now is that the connectors still work with your current phone. I know my charger worked with my phone three years ago... but I have since updated and I need to make sure the charger has that connector as well!

If you don't have a Emergency Preparedness Kit, you should make one. Here are some tips, links and advice to help you!

Hurricane Preparedness:
http://www.ready.gov/america/beinformed/hurricanes.html
http://www.nhc.noaa.gov/HAW2/english/disaster_prevention.shtml

Emergency Kit:
http://www.ready.gov/america/getakit/index.html
http://www.nhc.noaa.gov/HAW2/english/prepare/supply_kit.shtml

Be prepared! Good thoughts are going out to friends on the East Coast who are in the danger zones. Please stay safe!