With the pending doom (too much?) of hurricane Florence scheduled to wreak havoc on North Carolina in the next few days, I’ve called into question my level of preparedness as a Yankee who has only lived in the south for about a year. I’m used to preparing for snow storms that cancel school days, not widespread power outages, flooding, evacuations and the possibility of windows getting blown out.
Welcome to life as a Yankee living in the South… As a new homeowner. Lord help me.
Listening to the news reports I’ve had trouble discerning between what is hype and what is helpful, so for the rest of your confused newbies/homeowners/northerners-moved-south here’s a list of actually important things to think about as you prepare for Florence to make landfall to our east.
prepare yourself: Food/water/medications for 3 days for you and your pets, protect your important documents in waterproof boxes and/or scan to an online server,ensure your homeowners insurance is paid.
prepare your house: clean out storm drains/gutters, cut back trees and limbs that may fall onto homes or property, clear off your patio/deck and secure any loose items. Make ice to use to keep food cold if the power goes out. Fill a few extra water bottles with water.
prepare your car: make sure you have a full tank of gas, and pack some food/clothing/medication in-case you need to leave quickly.
prepare as the storm gets closer: charge your cell phone and any portable charging devices that you may have. Set your refrigerator and freezer to the coldest setting to help keep food for a longer period of time if the power goes out.
Most-importantly… Stay safe, stay informed, and comply with any mandatory evacuation orders.
Stay safe this weekend!
InspireCLT Living 