Top 10 things you need to know to be prepared for El Nio

With the looming forecast of a very strong El Nio this winter, local governments and agencies are preparing for the worst. But there are things you can do as well to be ready. Here are the top 10 things you need to know to be prepared for El Nio.

1. Have a supply kit ready.

You should have enough supplies to be self-sufficient for at least one week. This includes a battery operated flashlight and radio, a first aid kit, prescription medicine, water and non-perishable food supply.

2. Have a standard phone at home or a cell phone.

If the power goes out, your cordless phones at home won’t work. You’ll need a phone that’s hard wired so that it’ll still work. If you have a cell phone, don’t let the battery life get too low.

3. Keep some cash on hand.

If the power goes out, your credit and debit cards are useless. ATM’s won’t work either. You should keep some cash in your supply kit or in your car so that you can still make purchases if stores decide to open. Also, having $5 or $10 bills will be more convenient than $20 or $50 bills.

4. Never let your car’s gas tank get below half full.

If the power goes out, most gas station won’t have a backup generator. So if you burn through the gas in your car, you’ll likely be stranded wherever you are.

5. When driving, don’t EVER drive through a flooded road.

You don’t know how deep that water is. If you can’t see the road, there could be hazards or even sinkholes where the road has washed out. In fact, if you don’t have to be on the road, stay home and don’t risk it.

6. Freeze blocks of ice to help food from spoiling.

Freeze plastic containers filled with water to make blocks of ice that can be placed in your refrigerator or freezer during an outage to prevent food from spoiling.

7. Collect important documents and personal items in one place.

In the event of an evacuation, you don’t have time to run around looking for things. Important documents including deeds, insurance, and identification should be together. Any pictures or personal items that are precious should be with them too.

8. Backup your computer documents onto an external hard drive or flash drive.

During this technological age, we store lots of things on our computers. Pictures. Documents. You name it. They can all be gone in a flash. Back up your computers often and have the hard drive or flash drive with your supply kit so you can grab it and go.

9. Establish family communication and meeting place.

During an emergency, you likely won’t be together with your family. You may also be evacuated in different directions. You should all have a family member who doesn’t live nearby. Maybe Aunt Sally in Iowa. Everybody call her and check in with her to make sure you’re okay. Then if it’s safe, make your way to a predetermined meeting place for your family. Have a second choice, in case the first place isn’t possible.

10. Prep the outside of your home.

Look at the trees around your home. Are there any that look dead or have limbs that may fall? Inspect your roof to make sure you won’t have any leaks. Clear gutters and downspouts so water can flow away from your home. Make sure there’s no standing water around your home’s foundation.