Sandy is sure making a name for herself as she threatens to take aim at the east coast. From Florida to Maine, the Red Cross is getting prepared and we hope you are too. If 2011 taught us anything, it taught us that severe weather can be a reality here in Massachusetts. Take a few minutes today to get you and your family prepared.
Create and practice a Hurricane Plan:
- Planning and practicing an evacuation plan minimizes confusion and fear during the event. Learn about your community’s hurricane response plan. Plan routes to local shelters, register family members with special medical needs, and make plans for your pets.
- Assemble an Emergency Preparedness Kit: Pack a first aid kit, essential medications, foods that don’t require cooking or refrigeration, manual can opener, bottled water, flashlights, battery-powered radio and extra batteries. • Heed Warnings: Listen to radio and TV stations for updated information. A Hurricane WATCH means hurricane conditions could threaten within 36 hours. A Hurricane WARNING means hurricane conditions are expected within 24 hours.
- Prepare your Home: Secure anything that can be picked up by the wind (bicycles, lawn furniture, trash cans, potted plants, etc.). Close windows, doors and hurricane shutters. If you don’t have shutters, board up windows and doors with plywood. Turn off propane tanks and unplug small appliances.
- Download the American Red Cross Hurricane app to Monitor conditions in your area or throughout the storm track, prepare your family and home, find help and let others know you are safe even if the power is out.
For more information, visit www.redcross.org.
Thanks for the info Dawn. A good reminder to make sure that our own families are well prepared too. Dedicated Red Cross volunteers will be busy all weekend getting ready for this storm and will be assisting our coastal neighbors if they need us.
Janet Kingsbury Warren
Regional Development Officer
American Red Cross
(W) 508-595-3766 (F) 508-595-3767 (C) 508-450-8397
janet.warren@redcross.org
Central and Western Massachusetts
The Remillard Building
2000 Century Drive
Worcester, MA 01606-1256
http://www.redcross.org/cwm
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