Hurricane season is upon us and will be with us for the next six months. Even though we are expecting a mild season, we still need to be prepared for the unfortunate occurrence of a catastrophe. This can occur without a hurricane upon us as we’ve recently seen from our recent rains and ensuing flooding.

With that said, here are some important phone numbers and a checklist of items that you should have stocked and handy.

- Assess your home for vulnerable areas, such as roofs, windows, garage doors, landscaping

- Battery-operated radio with weather band

- Bedding and clothing, possibly

- Bleach – unscented to purify water at a rate of 8 drops per gallon

- Candles with lighters and matches, preferably wooden

- Cash on hand

- Clean containers to store drinking water – should have 1 gal. per person per day for 3 – 7 days

- Disposable plates and eating utensils

- Emergency phone numbers

- Fill up your vehicles’ gas tanks

- Flashlights – preferably 1 per person

- Important documents – placed in a watertight container & easily accessible if needed in a moments notice: insurance policies (home, auto, health), bank account numbers (passbook & checkbook), Social Security Cards

- Inventory your home possessions and review your insurance policies

- Fire Extinguisher

- First-aid kit – bandages, gauze, petroleum jelly, aspirin, antiseptic spray, hydrogen peroxide, antacids, thermometer, rubbing alcohol

- Food for 3 – 7 days: non-perishable canned or packaged goods & juices; comfort foods/snacks; food for infants and the elderly

- Gas grill or sterno stove with extra fuel

- Hygiene and personal care items, also moist wipes

- Keys

- Large trash bags

- Manual can opener

- Prescription medicines

- Rope or cord – 100 feet

- Soap

- Spare batteries for flashlights & other needs

- Tools – hammer, nails, ax, knife, pliers, handsaw, screwdrivers

- Toys or games for children and also books for reading material

- Whistle or air horn

Seminole County –

Information Line – 407-665-7219

Hurricane Warnings – 407-665-8000

Emergency Shelters & Management – 407-665-5102

Animal Services – 407-665-5110

American Red Cross – 407-894-4141

Orange County –

Helpline – 407-836-3111

Emergency Shelters & Management – 407-836-9140

Animal Services – 407-254-9140

American Red Cross – 407-894-4141

Volusia County –

Citizen’s Information Center – 866-345-0345

Emergency Shelters – 866-345-0345

Emergency Management – 386-254-1500

Animal Services – 386-248-1790

American Red Cross – 386-226-1400

Brevard County –

Citizens Hotline – 321-637-4070

Special Needs Shelter Information & Emergency Management – 321-637-6670

Animal Services – 321-633-2024

American Red Cross – 321-890-1002

Please comment and add to these lists as they are surely not inclusive in any way whatsoever nor are they in order of importance, but gives you an idea of some things to have readily available. Additionally, many of these things should be kept in a watertight container as a storm approaches because what use are many of these items if they get wet.

If you know a major storm is approaching possibly turn the refrigerator and freezer up to their coldest settings and make as much ice as possible with the time that you have. Yes, it will cost you a little electricity, but it also may have your refrigerated products last longer. If the power does go out and you need to retrieve something from the refrigerator, think about where it is before opening the door. You don’t want too much cold air escaping. Also, don’t forget that over time your food will thaw and there will be water that will collect in the bottom of your freezer and refrigerator.

I know this may appear to be somewhat scary and overwhelming, but preparing ahead of time will allow you to cope with a situation more easily.

For up to date weather information, go to www.nhc.noaa.gov – The National Hurricane Center

Here’s hoping that you won’t need to use any of these suggestions!

Till next time….Marc It Sold!

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Since we already have a Disaster Supply Kit and a Pet Plan, we now need to focus on when will implement these whether it is just yourself, maybe a spouse or partner, or even a family. One of the things that needs to be discussed is the types of hazards that you can come across and what you can possibly expect in terms of damage to the structure of your home. Not thinking about this is only deluding yourself. On the other hand I’m also not proposing dwelling on this as well.

One thing you need to do it to determine where the safest part of your home is in case a hurricane should strike. In some instances, your home may not be safe and some other area or location may have to be considered. Additionally, evacuation routes should be considered, but if you are NOT in a mandatory-evacuation area, then do not leave! This can’t be stressed enough. There will be too many people already trying to leave areas that are supposedly more imperiled and more people will just add to the chaos and clogging of the roads.

But you do need to plan on where to meet if other than your home. Also, make sure that you have someone out of the area and preferably out of state to be the key contact person for all of you.

The following are links to Storm Shelters for the counties of Brevard, Lake, Marion, Orange, Osceola, Polk, Seminole, Sumter and Volusia. You will note that some shelters are denoted for pets, those with special needs, and whether they be a primary or secondary shelter. Also do not go to a shelter until you are instructed to do so.

Again, let’s hope for a very mild hurricane season! And no matter what you do – be safe!

For information on Orange and Seminole County real estate and Orange and Seminole County homes for sale in addition to Orange and Seminole County relocation contact Marc Grossman, your Orange and Seminole County Realtor @ 407-463-1034. Additional information is available for Seminole County real estate, Orange County real estate, West Volusia County and South Lake County.

To learn more about Marc and the services he has to offer, visit his profile & website.

Marc Grossman, GRI – http://www.OrlandoHomes-4u.com/ – 407-463-1034

Marc donates 10% of his net proceeds to Hospice of the Comforter.

Marc It Sold!

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Here’s a rule of thumb to think about. If it’s dangerous for you, then it’s dangerous for your pets. Didn’t Katrina and others teach us that? If you wait for the last minute and don’t plan, you will most likely leave your pet thinking that they’ll be alright and that you’ll come back for them tomorrow. But you surely don’t know what’s going to happen now, so how can you be so sure of tomorrow. Yes, we’d like to be optimistic, but let’s go one step better – let’s be smart!

OK, enough of a lecture. Now to our beloved friends…

One of the first things you have to consider is where are you going if disaster strikes. Now, we will take further on this in another post, but you have to consider it moreso when your pets are involved. Not all shelters will accept pets, yet there are usually pet shelters available depending on where you live. Oh yes, and they will fill quickly. There is also the possibility of friends and relatives, but you have to remember that this may be a greater imposition than what one has a right to expect.

Additionally, you need to make sure of a couple of things:

Make sure your pet is current on their vaccinations & that you have proof

of such, because the shelters will probably require this.

You’ll need a pet carrier. Because even though you may be at a pet

shelter, you pet will have to be caged, so make sure that it has

enough room.

Have a collar, leash and possibly even a current photo.

Ample food & water for your pet as well as yourself. You’ll also need food

& water bowls as well as any medications and also trash bags and

newspaper for clean-ups.

Don’t forget a favorite toy of your pet and possibly even their bed. Just

something to be a sort of stress-relief.

As the storm approaches, try to keep you pet calm. You should know how intuitive they are. They will sense an impending emergency in you, so that means that you have to try to remain calm as well.

After an experience like this, which may be somewhat traumatic for some animals, be careful until they are fully re-orientated back into their home.

Remember, this will be almost as stressful on your pet as it will be yourself.

But then again, let’s hope that you never need to implement any of these measures!!

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Let’s first look at the necessary list of items and then we’ll discuss this a little further:

Water – at least 1 gal per person per day for 3 – 7 days.

Food – for at least 3 – 7 days

Non-perishable canned or packaged goods & juices

Comfort foods – snacks

Cooking utensils and fuel, such as a filled propane tank for a grill

Disposable products – paper plates and plastic utensils

Food for infants and the elderly

Medicines/Prescription Drugs

Flashlights & batteries as well as candles & lighters/matches

Battery operated Radios

Telephones – cell phones charged & a regular corded telephone

Vehicles should have full tanks of gas

Cash & also Credit Cards (yet with a power outage they may not be as easily

used). Don’t forget to have some coins on hand as well.

Keys

Important documents – placed in a watertight container

Insurance policies – house, medical, life

Bank account numbers & passbooks and checkbooks

Social Security cards

Any important documents that you store in your home should be easily

accessible if needed in a moments notice.

Toiletries & Moist wipes

Special items – for babies and the elderly

First Aid Kit

Toys & Games for children and also books and reading material.

Possibly bedding & clothing and surely don’t forget about your pets, but this will be discussed more fully in another post shortly.

This is by far not a complete list, but gives you an idea of some things to have readily available. Additionally, many of these things should be kept in a watertight container as a storm approaches because what use are many of these items if they get wet.

If you know a major storm is approaching possibly turn the refrigerator and freezer up to their coldest settings and make as much ice as possible with the time that you have. Yes, it will cost you a little electricity, but it also may have your refrigerated products last longer. If the power does go out and you need to retrieve something from the refrigerator, think about where it is before opening the door. You don’t want too much cold air escaping. Also, don’t forget that over time your food will thaw and there will be water that will collect in the bottom of your freezer and refrigerator.

I know this may appear to be somewhat scary and overwhelming, but preparing ahead of time will allow you to cope with a situation more easily.

Here’s hoping that you won’t need to use any of these suggestions!

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The 2008 tropical storm names are:

Arthur
Bertha
Cristobal
Dolly
Edouard
Fay
Gustav
Hanna
Ike
Josephine
Kyle
Laura
Marco
Nana
Omar
Paloma
Rene
Sally
Teddy
Vicky
Wilfred

In the event of more than 21 names storms, the Greek Alphabet will then be used.

In the next few days, we’ll be discussing several things that you should do to be prepared for weathering a storm. In the meantime, here are some links that you may find useful:

The National Hurricane Center

The National Weather Service

Central Florida Hurricane Center

Hoping that this is an easy and light storm season for all of us!

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