Preparing for a Hurricane

We are about 1/2 way through hurricane season here in Florida. So far, it’s been pretty quiet but last night as a storm thundered overhead, I woke up thinking about how prepared am I should one hit our area. And I realized, I’m not ready at all. Up north, we never had to deal with hurricanes or tornados, so preparing for an emergency evacuation was something that never crossed my mind. But now seemed like a good time to make a plan and make sure my family and I are prepared.

If you are a pet owner like myself, here are some tips:

Make sure your pet’s tags and microchip information is up to date.

Get pet carriers for each pet and put your pet’s name and your contact info on each carrier

Have harnesses, seat belts and carriers ready for pets to ride in the car

Put together a disaster kit which includes the following:

Leashes, collars and pet ID tags

Bedding, treats and toys

Food (place in airtight containers) and water - enough for each pet for 2 weeks as well as bowls

Manual can opener if you feed your pets canned food

Medication - two week supply stored in a waterproof container or ziplock bag

Preventative medication - flea/tick and heart worm medications for one month

Medical records - proof of vaccinations

Photograph - have a photograph of your dog in case you get separated or lost

Cleaning supplies - paper towels, disinfectant, waste bags

Contact info of friends and family

Pet first aid book

Make a plan with your family. Decide where to meet should you get separated or have to travel individually during an evacuation. Let friends and family know what the plan is as well. It’s best to prepare now before an emergency so should it be necessary, you are ready to evacuate.