How to Prepare for Extreme Weather

About Nicole Pajer

Nicole Pajer is a Los Angeles-based freelance published in The New York Times, Woman's Day, AARP, Parade, Wired, Glamour, People and more.

Scorching summer heat, frigid winters, hurricanes, fires, natural disasters. Weather at times can have a mind of its own. While you can’t control the weather, you can take some steps to prepare for it. And going in with a plan is the best way to make sure that you’re setting yourself up to avoid dangerous situations. Here are some steps to take:

Know the forecast: The first step to take here is to pay attention to your local weather. Check your smart phone for alerts as they’ll often tell you if there is a heat advisory or freezing temperatures alert in your area under the weather feature. You can also tune into the news to get your info from the good ‘ol weatherman or check the weather for your local zip code online.

Set up alerts: You can also download apps on your phone that can send you warnings before events like earthquakes occur. The MyShake App, for instance, can alert people who live in California, Oregon, and Washington that an earthquake may be imminent. Weather apps and websites also give you options to sign up for alerts.

Stay social: In this day and age, social media can be a great way to keep tabs on what’s going on. People who live in the tornado-prone area of Middle Tennessee, for instance, can keep up to date on where storms are heading and when they are passing through by following NashSevereWx. Find your local weather info source on social media and make sure to follow them.

Create an emergency kit: You never know what could happen in the event of extreme weather. You could lose power, find yourself without heat, be cut off from access to running water or may not be able to drive to the store to pick up food or medications. Thus, it's important to be ready and have an emergency kit handy. Pack it full of anything you’d need for 72 hours:

A backpack or duffle bag to hold your supplies
Drinking water
Nonperishable food and a can opener
A flashlight with extra batteries
A whistle to signal for help
Warming and/or cooling blankets or a sleeping bag
Backup phone chargers for cell phones and other important devices
Medications that you take
Pet food, medications, leashes, and bowls
Prescription glasses
Important documents like your driver’s license, insurance policy information and bank account information
Matches
Battery powered radio
First aid kid
Local maps
A disposable mask to filter contaminated air
Extra clothing
A deck of cards to occupy you while you hunker down
Phone numbers and contact information for loved ones

Make sure to store your kit in an area that is accessible and safe from natural disasters, such as in a basement or interior closet.

It’s also important to check the items in your kit from time to time and replace anything that’s expired, like food, with fresher options.

Have a plan: In the event of an evacuation, where will you go? How will you get there? What will you take with you? Who will you alert? Where will your pets go? Jot all of this down and have a plan in place so that in the event an emergency siren goes off or you are told to evacuate, you will know what to do.

Do a dress rehearsal: Remember being in school and having to practice exiting the building in the event of a fire or crouching and taking cover if a tornado siren went off? Do that same thing as an adult. Practice making sure you and your loved ones know how to evacuate your home in the event of a fire, where to take shelter if a tornado approaches and how to take care of yourself if you’re in extreme hot or cold weather and lose power.

Take steps to protect your home: If you live in a hurricane-prone area, listen to the local government recommendations. If it’s recommended that you do things like reinforce your windows with boards, bring loose furniture indoors, and clear out gutters so they properly drain water, take steps to do it. If you’re in a high fire area, it’s likely recommended that you trim back branches from your home so as to create a more fire-proof perimeter. These recommendations can help make a difference during a natural disaster.

Connect with neighbors: Talk to your neighbors to organize some ways you can work together in the event that extreme weather hits. If you lose power, for instance, designate a neighbor’s house that you can go to. If someone is good with tools, have them volunteer to help out in preparing homes for storms. If someone else has a generator, make a plan for people to gather there if the power goes out. Whether it’s planning with the whole neighborhood or just the people next door, enlisting a few people who live close to you in your weather-proofing plan can help everyone feel more safe and secure.

Keep your gas tank filled and cars charged: Many of us rush around all day and wait until our gas is nearly empty to fill up our tanks. Or we get tired and don’t plug in our electric cars for the night. But if you live in an area prone to natural disasters, power outages or extreme weather, it’s best to be prepared to be able to leave at a moment’s notice. In the event of a weather emergency you’ll want to be able to hop in your car and drive. Gas stations may get bogged down with long lines and you may lose power in the area, preventing you from charging your car.