Spring is severe weather season, so it's important that your home is prepared.
Follow these seven tips to ensure your family is ready when severe weather hits your home.
1. Educate yourself
Make sure you know when to expect severe weather. Hurricane season begins on June 1 and doesn't end until Nov. 30.
Know the risks of where you live and how to receive information from local officials in the event of an emergency.
Don't forget to sign up for weather alerts from WRAL News so you can stay up to date on storms and severe weather that may impact you.
2. Prepare an emergency kit
Make sure you have an emergency kit in your home for you and your family's safety. It's important that everyone in your family knows where to find the emergency supply kit.
Ready.gov recommends the following items for your emergency supply kit:
- Water (one gallon per person per day for several days, for drinking and sanitation)
- Food (at least a several-day supply of non-perishable food)
- Battery-powered or hand crank radio and a NOAA Weather Radio with tone alert
- Flashlight
- First aid kit
- Extra batteries
- Whistle (to signal for help)
- Dust mask (to help filter contaminated air)
- Plastic sheeting and duct tape (to shelter in place)
- Moist towelettes, garbage bags and plastic ties (for personal sanitation)
- Wrench or pliers (to turn off utilities)
- Manual can opener (for food)
- Local maps
- Cell phone with chargers and a backup battery
For a list of additional items to include in your emergency kit, go to ready.gov.
The American Red Cross also has a family emergency kit checklist. You can download it by clicking here.
3. Make an emergency plan
An emergency plan is essential when it comes to preparing for severe weather. It's important that your family knows what to do in an emergency.
Ready.gov recommends asking the following questions when making your family's emergency plan:
- How will I receive emergency alerts and warnings?
- What is my shelter plan?
- What is my evacuation route?
- What is my family/household communication plan?
- Do I need to update my emergency preparedness kit?
To make an emergency plan for you and your family, go to ready.gov.
4. Trim trees and branches
Trim or remove any trees or branches that could fall onto your car or house during a severe weather event.
Although it can be costly to hire someone, it's not as costly as a tree falling on your home or car.
5. Clear out gutters
Make sure your gutters are cleared of all debris before a big storm hits.
Blocked gutters can cause flooding and damage to your home's foundation. Clearing out your gutters ensures that the rain will flow freely off your roof away from your home.
6. Make sure sump pumps are working
You may be wondering, what in the world is a sump pump?
A sump pump is important because it removes built up water and prevents flooding in your home.
You should test your sump pump to make sure it's working properly. Adding a battery-powered backup sump pump will keep the pump working if there's a power outage.
7. Review your home insurance policy
Having an understanding of your home insurance policy is important as you prepare for a hurricane — or any other catastrophic event.
It's important that your home insurance policy is up-to-date and that you know what it covers.
If you have not already, create a comprehensive inventory of your belongings. Take photographs or videos of each room, including valuable items like jewelry, technology and art. If possible, also take corresponding photos of their receipts or proof of purchase. This documentation will be crucial when filing a claim.
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