Hurricane Preparedness Blog

With every hurricane and tropical storm that strikes, people aren’t the only creatures that are affected.   In the weeks following Hurricane Ike’s landfall, hundreds of displaced pets have lost their homes, and are awaiting adoption at various SPCA adoption centers.  Many of these pets have been unclaimed by their owners, and sadly, this kind of situation is typical: Pet and pet owners can get separated before, during, and after any major storm.   

No pet owner wants to be separated from his or her pet, so make sure that when a hurricane affects your area, you and your pet have a plan.  Here are ways to increase your chances of getting through this difficult time safely:

• A pet owner should always consider evacuation and what that means for your pet and your family.   Many shelters and hotels do not accept pets, so this may be something you’ll have to plan around.  Check if the animal-friendly shelters in your area require pre-registration, but remember, a shelter should be last on your list of places to stay during a storm.
• Just like people, pets should have an evacuation kit and a first aid kit on hand.   Take these items with you if evacuation is necessary.
• Put together a list of emergency contacts and identification for your pet.   By making sure that there is identification both on your pet and the crate or cage that your animal is traveling in, you are helping to ensure that you and your animal will be reunited should separation occur.
• Visit the “Pet and Animal Care“ section of OneStorm.  From information on locating lost pets after a hurricane to helping your pets cope with evacuation gridlock, these free articles will help you adequately prepare.

Having a pet means that you need a pet preparedness plan.   Log on to OneStorm today to create, finish, or review your hurricane plan for all the members of your family.

Just a short time after Hurricane Gustav and Hurricane Ike made landfall, the tropics are eerily quiet.   Up until last week, it seemed as though new tropical cyclones just kept coming, and now we are once again in the calm- for now.  With over two long months left in this busy hurricane season, let’s take advantage of this quiet time, however short-lived it may be.

The latest hurricanes highlighted these facts: as a hurricane threatens, supplies diminish, lines for necessities grow longer, and when essentials sell out, the unprepared are hit the worst.  Americans couldn’t avoid the pictures and news reports of residents desperately trying to stock up on fuel, food, and other hurricane supplies both before and after Hurricanes Ike and Gustav.

Hundreds of thousands of people still remain without power in the aftermath of Hurricane Ike.   Without a generator, no power means no lights, no basic cooking, no air conditioning, no everyday life as we know it.   Take a moment to imagine what even a few days are like without electricity.  Makes you a lot more thankful for that comfort, doesn’t it?

However, if we finish preparing now, when we encounter these uncomfortable times we will have the ammunition to make them less uncomfortable.   By taking basic steps to prepare for storms, you may not have to wait for hours to purchase drinking water, or frantically evacuate without important documents or medicines that you could have placed in an evacuation kit beforehand.  Hurricanes may be part of life, but by not preparing, we can make the situation worse than it already is.

Please log on to OneStorm today to create, update, review or finish your hurricane plan.  So far it has been one busy season, and it could very well stay that way- make a pledge to finish your hurricane plan before the next named storm.