14 Losing your home hurts your entire family. (Photo by Fr. Bowe) Continued from previous page food preservative but choose long-lasting foods that do not have high salt content. High salt content is not only deleterious for long-term health status but it quickly increases thirst. That thirst will encourage you to drink more water when water might be in short supply. Nowadays there are “low salt or low sodium” versions of many foods. Remember refrigeration might not be available for weeks if you are struck by a storm. Foods that require refrigeration will not last. Be vigilant with prescription medications during the hurricane season. Try to have at least a two-week supply available throughout the season. Store the medicines carefully especially if there is a real hurricane threat. However, do not store them so securely that you cannot get access when you need them. Always keep a supply of batteries for emergency lighting and transistor radios in particular. Use and replace batteries within a year. Keep your emergency lamps and lanterns in locations that the family is familiar with. Try to create the best arrangements you can for back-up charging of cell phones but remember that cell phone service might not return for a long time if there is a direct hurricane strike from a major hurricane. Keep at least two sets of electronically stored files of your vital documents and parts of documents – certificates of all kinds, passport biodata page, driver’s licence, Social Security card. Ideally, you should store one of the back-ups in a different location but that depends on the feasibility of such an arrangement. Try to keep vehicles fuelled to at least half capacity during the peak hurricane season. Continues on next page
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