Preparing for Hurricane Earl

We’ve been watching the hurricane season closely the last week, particularly Earl, Fiona and Gaston.

Having recently launched a website about life insurance for Hampton Roads residents, it caught our Eye that in Virginia, Gov. Bob McDonnell activated the National Guard and sent 200 troops to the Hampton Roads area on Chesapeake Bay.

We also found some basic tips from Red Cross that we thought were worth reviewing going into this potentially hectic weekend.

  • Have batteries, a flashlight and a portable radio.
  • Have nonperishable food that does not need cooking — canned tuna, peanut butter, canned beans and other foods that provide protein and energy. Be sure to have a non-electric can opener handy as well.
  • Bottled water — one gallon per person per day — for drinking and hygiene needs.
  • A sufficient supply of medications.
  • A first-aid kit to treat minor injuries.
  • Sufficient food, water and medication for pets.
  • Perform a hazard check around your home and yard. Put away lawn furniture and other items that might blow around and cause damage.

If we think it’s going to be bad, we’ll also want to setup “safety zones” in the house where we can go while the storm is at it’s climax. One of the primary considerations, for me, is flying glass. When Hurricane Gloria came through in 1985, this is what we did to barricade ourselves in the event of debris flying through the windows.

  1. Choose a room where you can comfortably stay during the storm
  2. The room should have relatively few windows if possible
  3. Arrange the furniture in a circle in the middle of the room to create a barricade
  4. At the very least, tape the windows in the room to prevent glass from shattering and flying
  5. If you expect serious, strong winds, you should consider boarding over the windows

And, because we can, here’s a little classic newscast from Youtube for ya! Stay safe and dry this weekend!