Batton Down the Hatches | Last Minute Prep Tips

No Candy 4 Sandy is Right!

By now, we hope you’ve done the obvious Sandy preparation – purchased your milk, bread, ice, water and batteries; gassed your car and generator; charged your smart phones, ipads, laptops; inventoried your room by room flashlights and candles and chilled your beer and wine. So what’s left? Preparing before any major storm is key to how well you recover in its wake. Here are a few tips you may not have thought of that will make the days to follow a lot brighter.

#1 GET CASH – Did you tap MAC, raid the ATM, get Ching? If not – it might be a good time to run to 7-11 and request cash back or raid your piggy bank, start counting and rolling those coins. If the electric is out, so are credit card acceptance machines. Cash rules.

#2 GET ORGANIZED – Find your home and auto insurance policy, record your policy number(s) and claims phone number in your smart phone and on paper. Keep the numbers close. Who you gonna call? You’d be amazed how many people have no idea who to call after a storm damaged their home and property. A great time to gather all your ecent home improvement invoices and records too. Create a binder or folder and quick.

#3 MAKE A HOME VIDEO – Visually inventory BEFORE the storm hits. If you own or rent a home, make a video inventory TODAY. Outside – capture your roof, doors, windows, garage, including of your exterior appendages – fences, play equipment, decks, patios, pools, hot tubs – even your driveway and sidewalk. An interior video walk-through of your home should cover your major appliances, big screen TVs, electronics and systems (heating, air conditioner) and demonstrate that they are physically intact and in use. When you’re done with the home video, upload to get a time and date stamp and email it to yourself. This video can be used to help with any insurance claim issues later.

#4 BACK IT UP – Your Computer, that is. You’ve been meaning to do this for a long time anyway, right? A power surge could easily defeat your computer. Ideally, you should leave your computer off during the storm unless you have top-notch surge suppression. Like dominoes — trees strike wires, wires hit other wires and next thing you know, it’s like you plugged your USB port directly into a wall outlet. Zap! Poof! Remember to keep your backup media somewhere safe and dry like the world wide web.

#5 DO THE DIRTY. When the power is out for days on end, there’s plenty of options for food and water. But having clean clothes? Not so much. That’s tricky and could eventually get stinky. If the storm does not knock out your power for any significant amount of time, get cleaning. Is it really so bad to have plenty of clean socks and underwear? Your mother would be proud.

#6 PETS! Don’t forget your Pets. If you have pets that live outdoors, bring them in and keep them indoors until the storm passes.

#7 RESPECT YOUR ELDERS. Have elder neighbors? Check on them frequently to ensure they are safe and secure.

#8 BATTON DOWN THE HATCHES (aka prepare for trouble). Did you secure anything and everything outside? BBQs, umbrellas, hammocks, tables, chairs, toys, flags, flag poles, signs, door mats, pumpkins, etc? Did you clear the sewer drains from leaves – go ahead be that person. Break out your snow shovel – go above and beyond and scoop those leaves, so the water can freely drain. Your neighbors will thank you for it tomorrow.