NEWSROOM
Have
The Right Answers Before Storm; Take ‘Hurricane Quiz’
Now
May
23, 2006
This game
of 20 questions can help you determine whether you and your family
will be prepared if a hurricane comes your way, according to LSU
AgCenter experts.
"Having
the right answers before a storm comes your way can help you be
prepared if a hurricane strikes," says LSU AgCenter housing
specialist Dr. Claudette Reichel. "Even if you’ve been
through a hurricane before, it’s easy to forget some of
the preparations that can protect your property and family. A
lot of people learned that lesson the hard way last year."
Reichel and
Louisiana Sea Grant/LSU AgCenter disaster education coordinator
Pat Skinner offer a 20-question quiz you can take to refresh your
memory about storm precautions you can take now – saying
these measures can "save time, money and hassles after a
storm."
If you answer
"No" or "I don't know" to any of these questions,
the experts say you should take action now to make sure you’re
as well prepared as you can be:
- Do you
have a disaster survival plan?
- Have you
planned an evacuation route and destination?
- Do you
have an emergency communication plan for staying in touch or
getting messages to friends and family?
- Is your
homeowner's and flood insurance coverage up to date and sufficient
to replace your home and belongings if they are damaged or destroyed?
- Do you
have an inventory of your property and belongings?
- Do you
have copies of your policies, inventory, other important papers
and valuables in a safe place – one that’s waterproof
and fireproof?
- Do you
know how to turn off your utilities (electricity, gas and water)?
- Do you
have a plan and supplies on hand to protect and secure your
home, outdoor items, boat, pool and so forth?
- Has your
roof been inspected within the past six months?
- Have you
trimmed the trees and shrubs around your house?
- Has your
car been maintained, and are the tires, including the spare,
in good condition?
- Do you
have a plan of what to do with food in your refrigerator and
freezer in the event of a possible power outage?
- Is your
emergency phone list up to date and handy?
- Do you
have emergency survival supplies such as batteries, a battery-operated
radio, flashlights, lanterns, fuel, nonperishable food for three
days, water jugs, manual can opener, medicines, traveler’s
checks or cash, and so forth on hand?
- Do you
have an emergency supply kit for your car?
- Do you
have a plan of how to take care of family members with special
needs (infants, the elderly or those with disabilities) in the
event of a disaster?
- Have you
decided what you will do with your animals if you must evacuate
because of various types of hazards?
- Have you
budgeted for the added expenses to protect your home, buy supplies,
evacuate, clean up and recover?
- Have you
discussed your emergency plans, duties and rules with your family?
- Do you
know that the LSU AgCenter offers publications and other free
information on disaster cleanup and recovery on its Web site
(www.lsuagcenter.com)
and through its parish LSU AgCenter Extension offices across
the state?
"Don’t
flirt with disaster for your family or your home," Skinner
cautions. "Make sure you have the right answers now –
before a major storm heads our way."
For more information
on preparing for a disaster or recovering from one, visit www.lsuagcenter.com
and click on the contact your parish LSU AgCenter Extension office.
Among the
publications available online at www.lsuagcenter.com
are "There’s a Hurricane Forming," the LSU AgCenter’s
"Storm Recovery Guide" and the "Disaster Information
Resources Series." A variety of other resources also are
available by going directly to www.lsuagcenter.com/hurricanes
or by clicking Storm Recovery in the features section of the LSU
AgCenter’s home page.
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