Awaiting Hurricane Matthew...

Although we are mostly through hurricane season, Hurricane Matthew is nearby. We don't yet know what path he'll take. Maybe it'll just be a quick "drive by" or maybe a more leisurely "visit". The takeaway? There's no time like the present to be (or get) prepared!

Preparedness means having the basic items your family (including pets) may need for 3 - 7 days after a disaster. These items (called an emergency kit) should all be in one, easy to access place. Every family's kit will be different. However, some common items include:
- non-perishable foods (also consider a manual can opener)
- pet food (remember, some human foods can hurt pets.)
- drinking water (1 gallon per person/pet per day)
- non-drinking water (for washing hands, flushing toilets, etc.)
- hand sanitizer
- hygiene supplies (toothbrush, toothpaste, etc)
- medications (prescription & over-the-counter)
- basic first aid supplies
- battery powered devices (like flashlights, weather radios, etc.); extra batteries/packs; & low tech entertainnment.

If you haven't already, make sure important documents are protected in a waterproof safe at home, a bank safety deposit box, or at least scanned/photographed & saved securely to the cloud.

Make safe & healthy decisions before, during, & after storms.
- Have an evacuation plan. If you need to leave, leave early.
- Do not drive through standing water.
- Do not grill or run portable generators inside. Carbon monoxide can kill without warning.
- Do not leave candles or fires unattended.
- If you experience damage or want to donate to impacted areas, choose established, reputable entities.

Learn more at:
- Ready NC (track the storm, get tips, etc.)
- American Red Cross' Hurricane Preparedness
- MSN's 14 Cheap Emergency Essentials You Don't Want to be Without