We will soon be entering the 2016 hurricane season. In past years the
Carolinas have fallen victim to devastating storms. At AMG we want to help
homeowners keep their homes safe and reduce injury from storms. Hurricanes and
tropical systems can cause serious damage on both coastal and inland areas.
Their hazards can come in many forms including: storm surge, heavy rainfall,
inland flooding, high winds and tornadoes. To prepare for these powerful
storms, AMG is encouraging families, businesses, and individuals to be aware of
their risks; have a community preparedness plan; prepare your home, workplace
and community.
If you live in a community, your neighbors can be a great help in case of an emergency, and you can also be of service to your neighbors. Working together can help keep everyone safe. A community working together during an emergency makes sense.
"When a storm hits, there are no strangers—only neighbors helping neighbors, communities rallying to rebuild," says President Obama, Here are some ways you can help neighbors (and they can help you) in case of a hurricane:
1. Get to know your neighbors. Think about people in your neighborhood who may need your help, for example:
· Older people living by
themselves;
· People with physical or
sensory disabilities;
· People with a chronic illness
or with a mental illness; single parents with young children; large
families;
· People newly arrived,
including tourists, refugees or immigrants.
·
Talk to your neighbors to
identify those who may need assistance
If you are an HOA board
member or leader of your community association you may want to consider a
community plan and getting the information out to the residents:
- Where to go for community resources
- How to prep your home, close and lock hurricane-proof windows, seal all openings, secure rooftops and yard items
- Emergency phone numbers
Community associations can get residents involved
and working together by holding safety and preparedness events. Use the space
in your association newsletter to communicate preparedness information to the
residents of the community. Here is a list of items that might be helpful in
the event of a hurricane.
|
· Lanterns
·
Batteries (in different sizes!)
·
Matches
·
First aid kit
·
Duct tape
·
Rain gear
· Candles
· Battery operated radio
|
· Clock (wind-up or battery-powered)
·
Plastic garbage bags
·
Fire extinguisher
·
Scissors
·
Can Opener
·
Clean clothes
·
Extra blankets
·
Heavy gloves
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If your community association becomes aware of
impending storms, it is helpful to notify residents of some home preparedness
items they can do to get ready. Here is a list to share with the residents of
your community:
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·
Remove outdoor items
·
Trim dead branches from trees
·
Board up windows
·
Fill gas tanks and extra containers
·
Get extra cash
|
·
Move furniture away from windows
·
Store important documents in waterproof containers
·
Extra supply of medicines
· Prepare for the needs of pets
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·
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·
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Another
great way to get your residents involved is holding a canned food drive to
collect items to distribute before the big storm arrives. Here is a list of
items residents should have on hand during any emergency.
|
·
Bottled water (1 gallon/person/day)
·
Bottled juice
·
Two
coolers:
One for drinks & one for food |
·
Canned foods
·
Manual can opener
·
Dry pet food
·
Medic-alert tags
|
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·
Insect-repellent sprays
·
Feminine hygiene items
·
Sunscreen
·
Soap
·
First aid kit
·
Prescription medication
|
·
Over-the-counter medication
·
Children's medicine
·
Bandages
·
Adhesive tape
·
Antiseptic solution
·
Thermometer
·
Tweezers
|
If you are
having an actual emergency please dial 911 immediately. Please be aware and
publish all emergency contact numbers.
For more
information on how AMG helps serve community associations visit our website at
http://www.amgworld.com
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