Be prepared for severe weather season with these tips
INDIANAPOLIS (WISH) — Severe weather safety is about being prepared. Not just when severe weather is happening, or about to happen, but well before hand.
The first step is to take action by talking to your loved ones. Ask your family and your co-workers if they know where to go in the event of severe weather. Do they have that plan? If not, it’s never too early to have that discussion.
The key to severe weather safety is staying ahead of the storm. Having a plan in place well before hand can save critical minutes when time is of the essence.
Know where to go. At home, at work, or your school, the standard is pretty much the same. Put as many walls between you and the outside as possible. If you have a basement, that is the best place. If not, lowest level of your house or business, away from windows.
It’s also good to have a safety kit standing by in your safe spot ready to go. Grab a small bin or duffel bag and include the following:
Water is the number one survival tool, but something many people don’t think about. It can be bulky but it’s necessary. If you have a dedicated shelter space in your home, (closet, basement, etc) stash a pack of bottled water there. It’s also a good idea to have water in your car as well. Keep at least one bottle of water in your emergency bag.
Granola bars, beef jerky, protein bars, etc., if you decide to stash canned goods in your space don’t forget a compact can opener if they don’t have pop lids.
Make sure you have bandages, sterilizing pads/iodine and gauze. It’s also not a bad idea to add some Advil, aspirin, Benadryl and tums.
In severe weather situations, power often goes out, and sometimes cell towers go down or are heavily overwhelmed. For this reason it is a great idea to pack a whistle or air horn. This gives you the ability to make noise from a hidden spot or a pile of debris if you need to. This simple tool could save your life.
Flashlight with back up batteries. A crank radio is also useful for when power goes out.
Boots and work gloves. Personal items including toiletries, and don’t forget about your pets! Be sure to include some extra pet food, and extra ID tags, too.
In addition to having your safety plan in place, it’s equally important to have a way to get warnings. The best line of defense is a NOAA weather radio – specifically with a battery back up and S.A.M.E. technology.
The next best option is a weather app that can alert you based on your location. Our free Storm Track 8 Weather App includes this important features. NEVER rely on storm sirens as your main choice of getting warnings. They are difficult to hear, made for people outdoors, an outdated technology, and many counties and cities have different protocols on to when and for what a siren is activated.