Due to global warming and other factors, the changes in our climate have become drastic. We have seen the devastation of properties and cities. Many lives have also been lost due to super typhoons and hurricanes, which caused flooding, and extremely hot weather condition, which caused heat wave. Since we are no longer sure what type of weather will hit our locality, all of us should be prepared for whatever situation certain climate changes and situations would bring.
Tips for preparing for hurricanes and storms
Check your house
Our house is our sanctuary during storms; thus, we need to regularly check the integrity of our roofs, walls, etc even before the hurricane season arrives. Since our house is our only defense against heavy rains and strong winds, we need to ensure that it can withstand severe weather conditions, especially if we live in hurricane prone areas.
Once a hurricane warning has been issued, we need to start boarding up our windows and doors. We also need to shut off our gas and electricity and make sure that all objects that can fall or fly around must be removed.
Prepare for provisions
When a hurricane warning has been issued, you need to make sure that you and your family has enough water and food to last for days. Be sure that the food you will be stocking up are those that can be eaten even without cooking and does not need to be refrigerated. Moreover, you need to make sure that you have enough potable water for you and your family.
Aside from food, you need to prepare for candles, matches, flashlights and batteries. In order for you to be always informed on what is happening, you need to have a battery-operated radio available.
Heed government warnings
If the government has called for an evacuation, do not think twice. Follow the advice of the government. Just make sure that your home is properly secured before you leave.
Tips for preparing for heat wave
Extremely hot weather can be dangerous, particularly for young children, old people, and those with certain health conditions, such as mental illness, heart and breathing problems.
Listen to the news
We need to closely monitor the situation and wait for warnings and bulletins issued by the government. Many people have died because they did not know that there is a heat wave and it was unsafe for them to go out during the hottest part of the day.
Stay out of the sun
It is really advisable to stay indoors when there is a heat wave. If you must go out, you need to ensure that you are wearing proper clothing and have a protection against the sun, such as a hat or an umbrella. You also need to schedule your day well so that you will be indoors from 11pm to 3pm, the hottest part of the day.
Shower up
Take a cold bath or shower several times a day. If you cannot do that, just wash your face and nape with cool water occasionally or whenever you feel hot.
Regularly check on your elderly relatives and neighbors
Old people are usually the ones who succumb to heat wave, thus you need to check your old relatives or neighbors once in a while. See if they are drinking plenty of water and are feeling well. If you cannot physically visit them, you can always call them during the day and constantly remind them to follow health bulletins for heat wave.
Believe it or not, floods are the natural disasters that is most common in America. According to statistics, more than a hundred people are killed by floods every year. Also, more than four billion dollars are the cost damages caused by floods.
All this is according to the Red Cross of the United States.
The following are few tips and advice you could do in order to prepare yourself for any flood inevitability.
Expect the expected
It is important that you clearly understand and that you are aware of any damages that a flood could cause. Some of these inevitabilities include boulders that are rolling, trees that are ripped right out from the ground, buildings that are destroyed as well as bridges, sliding debris.
Do not be afraid to ask
It is also vital that you ask around your local zoning and planning office as to whether the property you are on is below the level of the flood or above it. Also, it is always good to know if the area you are in has had a history of being flooded.
This knowledge helps a lot in the preparation of activities and tasks to do in case if a flood does hit.
Familiarize yourself
In your own community, it is best that you familiarize yourself in any or all of the warning signals or signs whenever a flood does occur.
Learn, learn, learn
Know what are your community’s plan for evacuation. This helps you prepare yourself as well as your family and friends as on what to do as well as the step by step drill.
Have an insurance
It helps if you have insurance that is tailored particularly when a flood occurs. Believe it or not, the insurance usually associated with home owners will really not be able to reimburse any damages you may have that are caused by floods.
Keep all vital documents
These documents include any policies for insurance, passports, birth certificates, etc.
All these papers should – as much as possible – be kept in a box that is waterproof and one which could be accessed easily.
Move, move, move
If in case your fireplace, furnace, electricity panel or water heater is in the basement or 1st floor of your house, you could consider moving it up the attic.
In that way it will be a lot less probable for these to be damaged by raging floodwaters.
Plug it all
Plugging all trap sewers you have in your house using check valves actually prevent any floodwater from going into the drains of your house. During emergencies, using large stoppers or corks is also a good idea to plug tubs and sinks.
Check and build
Checking with the local codes of buildings is a good idea as this will let you know whether it is okay to build walls for floods and to be used as barriers around your own house in order to prevent any floodwater from getting in your premises.
Waterproof it all
In order to protect walls of basements, seal them using waterproof compounds so that floodwaters would be unable to get in through any cracks.
Have a radio and some supplies
As much as possible, keep a radio that is operated by batteries if in case the power goes off.
Having supplies such as canned goods is a must as well as first aid kits. Do not forget a can opener of course.
All in all, preparation is always the best defense against floods.
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