National Preparedness Month: Keep your family safe

Severe weather can pose a risk to your family’s safety, especially if you don’t have an emergency plan. Having a plan for what to do before, during and after severe weather can mean all the difference to your family’s safety.

Unfortunately, only 36 percent of American households have discussed a safety plan for weather-related emergencies or power outages and about half of the households don’t feel well prepared for a power outage, according to a recent survey conducted by Energizer.

September, which is National Preparedness Month, is a great time to better equip yourself, your family and your home to deal with future storms.

• Designate a place to seek shelter. Designate a meeting place for your family to take shelter. A basement or the smallest, most-interior room on the lowest floor is safest for severe weather and tornadoes. In the event of a tropical storm or hurricane, evacuate the area if instructed by local authorities.

• Keep a portable light in every room: When the power goes out, you don’t want to go digging through closets or drawers looking for that flashlight. Keep portable lights in every room in a handy place to ensure you’re ready for outages. A manually-powered light source offers insurance that you will be prepared, even if you run out of batteries. One long-lasting, compact solution is the Energizer Weatheready windup LED flashlight. Also keep long-lasting battery-powered lights on hand. Consider Energizer Flashlights and Lanterns with Light Fusion Technology, which are compact, versatile and water-resistant. Lastly, be prepared for any kind of emergency scenario by ensuring you have a hands-free light: a lightweight and versatile headlight is a good bet.

• Make an emergency kit. Keep an emergency kit stocked with bottled water (one gallon per person per day for three days, according to government recommendations), canned food, copies of vital personal information and a first aid kit with prescriptions. It’s all about simple solutions during emergencies, so look for multi-functional tools, such as an Energizer Emergency Weather Station, which acts as a light, radio and charging station. 

• Check social media for updates.  Oftentimes communications can be limited during severe weather. Social media can give you the most up-to-date information from local government agencies and news outlets.

• Charge your devices. Make sure to charge your cell phone and ensure that your radio and flashlight have fresh batteries that are long-lasting and designed not to leak in your devices. 

• Stock your vehicle. Severe weather can strike any time, so don’t be caught unaware when you are on-the-go. Stock your vehicle with an emergency kit that contains all the essentials.

More tips on staying powered during storms can be found at www.Energizer.com.

This National Preparedness Month, keep your family safer by getting your home organized for severe weather and other emergencies.