A mammoth hurricane is targeting South Florida in the next couple of days. Grocery stores are emptying out, gas station lines are piling up and general anxiety is spiking.
Don't lose your cool.
Remember, your children are counting on you as much for emotional support as their physical safety. If you haven't stocked up on needed supplies, there may still be time. Here are the essentials:
Disaster Kit Checklist
- One gallon of water/day per person for three days; 1.5 gallons of water/day for three days per pet
- Nonperishable snacks and packaged/canned food to last at least three to seven days
- Manual can opener
- Change of clothing, rain gear and sturdy shoes
- Prescription medications
- Personal hygiene items
- Special items and food for infant, elderly or disabled family members
- First-aid kit
- Fully charged mobile phone with charger
- Quiet games and toys or reading materials
- Eyeglasses, contact lenses, hearing aid batteries
- Pet care items, including food
- Flashlight, battery-powered radio and batteries
Disaster kits and emergency supplies are likely depleted at this point, but you can go item by item to try and get as many supplies as you can. A complete list of necessary supplies is available at www.miamidade.gov/hurricane.
Important Things to Know & Remember
• Discuss a family emergency plan ahead of time. Your loved ones may not be together when disaster strikes, so it’s important to know how you will contact one another, how you will get back together and what to do in case of an emergency.
• Residents who require evacuation assistance should register for the Emergency & Evacuation Assistance Program (EEAP) before hurricane season to ensure help will be provided following an evacuation order. Visit www.miamidade.gov/hurricane for more information, eligibility guidelines and to register.
• Pet-Friendly Evacuation Centers (PFEC) are available for residents living in high-risk, flood-prone areas, including barrier islands, coastal communities, mobile homes or anyone living in the Storm Surge Planning Zone that has been ordered to evacuate; PFEC locations are announced as they are opened prior to a storm’s arrival.
Local Help & Resources
• Information on hurricane preparedness for Miami-Dade County residents, including emergency planning, storm surge zones, evacuation and how to keep up with the latest news during a storm can be found at www.miamidade.gov/hurricane.
Hurricane are scary for everyone, but especially for children. If we do suffer heavy effects from the storm, make sure to address the situation with your children by calming their fears, having them share their feelings, limiting their access to news, normalizing their fear and pointing out the good (no school, hooray!).
Source: 2019 Official Hurricane Readiness Guide, https://www8.miamidade.gov/global/emergency/hurricane/home.page.