September Is National Preparedness Month

Preparing the home
First, makes sure your home is stocked with the following items:

• The Sweet Home, a website on homeownership, suggests keeping battery-powered lanterns for emergencies rather than candles to mitigate fire risk, as well as extra batteries. Having one per person or room in the home is the best approach.
• DoItYourself.com, a DIY website, recommends keeping fire extinguishers in the kitchen, near the entrances and exits of the home, at least one on each level. It’s also a good idea to keep one in the garage.
• Red Cross, and organization devoted to emergency preparedness and response, recommends the following items be kept in a survival kit: Canned food, a battery-powered can opener, extra batteries, a seven-day supply of medication, first-aid kit, hand-crank radio, three gallons of water for each member of the family in the event of an evacuation, and 14 gallons of water for each person in the house.
• The Massachusetts Institute of Technology, a university, urges individuals to have extra blankets, plastic sheets, rain gear, weatherproof shoes and other warm, protective clothing set aside in case of an emergency.
• Keep an extra tank of gas for your car in case you need to evacuate the home.

You will also want to have a fire rated safe in your house to protect vital documents, including your insurance policy. Consumer Reports, a magazine providing product ratings and other consumer information, suggests getting a safe that is rated for 30 minutes of protection and a maximum internal temperature of 350 degrees Fahrenheit. This will ensure that all of your important paper documents, such as passports and birth certificates, are out of harm’s way.