What You Can Do Right Now

Before the wind and rain that will accompany Fay gets here, review these precautions:

BEFORE A STORM HITS

• Trim up trees, clear debris from yard.

• Clean rain gutters.

• Make sure you have plenty of water — at least one gallon per person per day. Plan on being without water for a week.

• Shop as if you were going camping. Stock up on peanut butter, crackers, dehydrated food, cereal, beef jerky, nuts, pasta that can be boiled in a pot on a barbecue grill.

• Be creative — think recipes with nonperishables like boxed milk, Spam, beans.

• Stock up on sun tan lotion, bug spray (screens may be blown from windows and without power, there will be no air conditioning), water purification tablets, hygiene products, garbage bags, disposable cups, plates, knives and forks.

• Think about equipment that can do double duty. Walkie talkies, marine radios. That GPS for fishing. You may need to call for help and give your position.

• Make sure you have flashlights and batteries — and know where they are. Crank models will also work if a storm is long lived.

• Develop your plan and determine where your safe room is in the event you must get to shelter quickly. Hurricanes can spawn tornadoes, so be prepared.

• Have a list of friends and relatives and their phone numbers (on your cellphone and on paper in a waterproof container).

IF FAY COMES OUR WAY

• Monitor your weather radio and weather channels.

• Clear anything that could become a projectile from your lawn or pool area. Bring in toys, rakes, dog bowls. If you don’t have room for lawn furniture, toss them in the pool.

• Get cash from the bank or ATM. Remember, credit cards will not work when there is no power.

• Fill coolers with ice. Freeze gallon jugs of water — they can be used for ice and later for drinking.

• Fill up your vehicle’s gas tank.

• Fill up propane tanks that may be needed for the barbecue grill later.

• If you have a generator, make sure you have enough fuel.

• Remember if power is out, so is your cordless phone. Have an old-fashioned phone that plugs into the wall.

• Crank can opener.

• Determine if your business will remain open and if there is child care. If there is no child care, line up a babysitter for the days after the storm.

• If you don’t have a car, enlist a friend who can drive if you have to evacuate.

• Get your first aid kit ready. Organize items in a watertight container. If you don’t have one, use gallon size Ziploc bags and put the bag with documents, medication, bandages and aspirin inside another plastic bag.

• Your local pharmacy may not have power after the storm. So make sure you have prescriptions filled and enough medication for at least a week.

• Fill your bathtub. You may need the water later to flush toilets.

• Remember, you can bath in a pool if water is out.

IF YOU HAVE TO EVACUATE

• If you are ordered to evacuate, leave early. Roads will be clogged and travel will be slow.

• In addition to your first aid kit and documents, add a canister type tire repair kit. If you’re driving an SUV, you may need two cans two inflate a flat tire. You may need this to get back home through debris.

• Remember if you are bringing extra gas (stations will run out and when power is disrupted, many will not be able to pump) DO NOT place it inside the car. Use a trailer hitch or roof racks. Many of the new containers leak, so put down a tarp to protect your roof.

• Plan a route and call family and friends to tell them which way you are going. If you change that route, notify them of the change.

• DO NOT drive through high water.

• Remember to take pillows, sleeping bags and kids’ toys, particularly if you are going to a shelter.

• Shelters are not hotels, so bring snacks and nonperishable food items.

• Stay calm, stay together.

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