Create a family hurricane safety plan today

TAMPA - If you lived in Florida during the 2004 and 2005 hurricane seasons, you certainly remember the force of tropical systems one after another.

After nine named storms struck the state, the Division of Emergency Management reassessed the storm response and one thing they discovered was the Floridians needed to be better prepared for disasters.

Although it’s already almost July, it’s never too late to get your family prepared. When you’re preparing here are some things you and your kids can do together to prepare for hurricane.

Supplies - Remember that after a storm it may take up to 72 hours for responders to reach survivors. Your family should have an emergency supply kit with everything your family needs to survive at least three days. Enlist your kids to collect all the supplies and create a list of what your family has, needs to replace and needs to purchase.

Weather Watching - Create a family weather team that keeps an eye on the local weather. Once a week the kids can present the weather using your home video camera to record the “newscast”. That’s sure to make some great memories.

Write It Down - Encourage your kids to start a storm journal where they track dates and details about current storm conditions. The will help ease the anxiety that comes along with larger storms as well as provide an interesting record of events to look back on.

Evacuation - If you live in an evacuation zone, have your kids each prepare a shelter bag in case you must leave your home. It should include clothing, toiletries, medications and any other important items you may need.

Preparing for Hurricane Season can be a daunting task. Involving your kids in some of the prep work will not only ease your burden but will teach them about being prepared for emergencies.

For a full, list of everything your family should do to prepare for Hurricane Season visit ABCActionNews.com , or NOAA.gov .

Sources:

TBParenting.com

ParentingWithAngela.com