September is National Preparedness Month—just in time for peak hurricane season in Maryland. Severe thunderstorms and floods are also common to the area and with winter approaching, it’s always a good idea to prepare for the possibility of heavy snowstorms. National Preparedness Month is a time to educate yourself on how you can prepare for sever weather so that if an emergency does occur, you aren’t left in the dark.
How to Prepare for Severe Weather
Every home and business should have a plan in the event of an emergency. Do you know what to do if cell phone towers stop working or the electricity goes out? While no one can prevent a weather emergency from happening, there are a number of things you can do to get prepared for any disaster. National Preparedness Month is a great time to:
- Set a meeting place for emergencies and make sure that all family members or employees know where it is.
- Invest in a standby generator. Home and commercial generators offer a backup power supply if outages occur, preventing your business from losing money due to downtime and keeping your home running so that your appliances don’t shut down and leave you helpless.
- Learn where the main electrical shut-off in your house or building is located so you can cut power to your home quickly in the event of a power surge or flood.
- Prepare an emergency kit that can be grabbed quickly if needed. This should include batteries, cell phone chargers, food and water for at least three days, a flashlight, a can opener, prescriptions, a first aid kit and your radio or other communication device. It’s also a good idea to keep a supply of cash on hand. You may not have time to go to an ATM in an emergency and/or the banking system may not be working. Make sure you include water and food for your pets in your emergency kit too!
- Stock up on water. The CDC advises filling containers with drinking water and filling your bathtubs with water for washing and flushing in advance of a storm that might shut down the water system.
- Clear any debris or loose items from your yard and cover up your windows to protect your property in addition to your family and staff.
Call us for Help Preparing for Emergencies in MD, VA & DC
At Kolb Electric, we support National Preparedness Month and want to help you and your family be ready for whatever weather emergency Mother Nature can throw at us! We install standby generators and surge protectors to keep Maryland, Northern Virginia, Washington, DC home and businesses safe and running even during a storm. For help preparing your home or building for a weather emergency, call us at 877 287-1179 or contact us online today!
