Often forgotten hurricane prep items can cause disaster during emergency

What may be a minor inconvenience now could turn into a major life disturbance if a hurricane hits.

The National Weather Service hopes to drive the message home this week during Hurricane Preparedness week.

Though there’s no guaranteed way to predict what a hurricane season will be like, the Colorado State University Tropical Meteorology Project tries. According to a forecast published last month, the season is predicted to bring 11 named storms, four hurricanes and two major hurricanes. The forecast is slightly below average storm activity for the Atlantic basin.

Mark Costis, co-owner of Generx Generators, a full-service generator business based in Tampa, said when a storm hits, customers now worry more about electricity than basic survival needs. Preparing for a power outage is one verse in the hurricane preparedness anthem.

“I remember in 1985, we had Hurricane Elena that never actually made shore but we lost power for maybe two days,” Costis said. “It didn’t mean anything to me and my brothers or to my parents, for that matter. But today, my nieces and nephews would go nuts. More than ever before we are more dependent on electricity.”

Beyond the conveniences of cool air and entertainment for children, electricity sustains much of modern life. Generators provide a temporary option for necessary sanitation and safety practices like keeping food cold, cooking food and toilet flushing. Residents often turn to portable generators to get them through emergency situations.

Costis warns that setting up a portable generator is not as simple as plug-and-play.

“The most important thing for portable generators is to make sure they have enough fuel and to make sure it is connected properly,” Costis said. “We lose about a dozen people every year because somebody will run their portable generator in their garage and noxious fumes from the gas will come into a house and kill a family.”

Portable generators are available at big-box stores, and companies such as Generx install more permanent backup generators for a residence, business or industrial operation.

The refrain for the hurricane prep anthem is “make a plan.” Most disaster aid organizations provide example plans online. The sample plans often emphasize the need for a communication system in the event of a cellular service outage and the need for families to pack enough necessary prescription medicine, food and water.

Other, often easily forgettable verses in the hurricane prep anthem can be just as important in the case of a disaster.

Financial and insurance preparation are two items that families and businesses may forget while assembling a stockpile of food and necessary physical items. Kaylee Luh, personal banker at Fifth Third Bank in Lakewood Ranch, explains how her bank helps customers prepare for disasters.

“How we factor into a hurricane prep plan is we like to make sure our customers have a home equity line of credit for emergency purposes,” Luh said.

After a disaster, it might take an insurance company days or weeks to respond to cases. The line of credit allows homeowners to make necessary repairs and take care of themselves while waiting for a claims adjuster to arrive, Luh said. Businesses can apply for similar lines of credit as well.

The American Red Cross recommends keeping the following items in a waterproof, portable container:

▪  Wills, insurance policies, contracts, deeds, stocks and bonds;

▪  Passports, social security cards, immunization records, birth, death and marriage certificates;

▪  Bank account numbers, credit card account numbers and contact information for credit card companies and banks;

▪  Inventory of valuable household goods and important telephone numbers, including for your pet, such as the veterinarian, animal control, etc.

And last but not least, including pets as members of the family emergency preparedness plan is essential. Pets should not be left behind and should wear a clearly marked identification tag with contact information in case of separation. Other pet emergency preparedness tips from the American Red Cross:

▪  Carry a photograph of your pet;

▪  Transport pets in secure carriers and keep pets on a leash;

▪  Call ahead to hotels or other shelters to assure they will accommodate pets upon arrival. Emergency shelters do not always accept pets;

▪  Call friends, family members, veterinarians or boarding kennels in a safe/host location to arrange foster care if staying with pets is not an option;

▪  Pack a week’s supply of food, water and other provisions, such as medication or cat litter;

▪  Don’t wait until the last minute to evacuate. Rescue officials may not allow you to bring your pet.

For other recommended hurricane preparedness essentials and sample checklists, visit hurricanesafety.org/prepare/hurricane-safety-checklists/.

As a first step in getting ready for hurricane season, which begins June 1, the National Weather Service recommends determining risk level. To see evacuation zones in Manatee County, visit the mymanatee.org Evacuation Levels and Route Maps page.

Other steps and action items for Hurricane Preparedness Week can be found at weather.gov/wrn/hurricane-preparedness.

This story was originally published May 9, 2017 at 4:04 PM with the headline "Often forgotten hurricane prep items can cause disaster during emergency."