Prepare for Severe Weather

Create a Family Disaster Plan

• Decide where to go at home, school, work, outdoors, or in a car when severe weather hits.
• Agree with family members on a designated place to meet if separated. Include an area directly outside the home and in your city or neighborhood.
• Designate a friend or relative outside the area as your contact if you are separated.

Know the Difference Between a Watch and a Warning

• WATCH – Conditions for severe weather are possible in the specified area within 36 hours.
• WARNING – Severe weather conditions have been reported by spotters or radar and are expected in the area within 24 hours.

Inspect Home and Yard for Potential Hazards

• Remove outdoor items such as lawn furniture, trash cans, toys, and hanging plants, as they may become airborne during a storm.
• Trim or cut down weak trees and branches that could easily be broken off by high winds and damage homes.
• Keep rain gutters, outside stairwells, window wells, drain lines, and downspouts clear to prevent flooding in high rains.
• Protect Your Home’s Openings
• Protect or cover windows, entry doors, sliding glass doors, garage doors, and gable end vents.

Secure Backup Power

• Flashlights cannot power refrigerators, and candles are fire hazards.
• The American Red Cross suggests that permanently installed stationary home generators are better suited for providing backup power to the home than portable generators.