Whatever your stance on global warming and climate change, you can’t deny that the world has seen some weird and extreme weather lately. Freak storms have incapacitated cities. With homes and possessions being destroyed. And, in the worst cases, lives are taken. Of course, you’re very unlikely to actually die as the result of bad weather. Especially if you live somewhere that isn’t prone to it. But, it’s worth being prepared to some extent.
Depending on where you live, you will need to provision for different severities of weather. For example, in Paris, the weather is usually fairly mild. But, in winter, there can be heavy snowfall. In this case, you don’t need to prepare very much. If you live somewhere very prone to hurricanes, though, you will need to do more. This post will go through some areas that should be considered, ordered from least to most severe.
Have A Plan Of Action
When it comes to bad weather, the very first thing you should consider preparing is a plan of action. If there’s a storm heading your way, how will you get the kids out of school and safely at home? Who will perform different tasks during the emergency? These are just a couple of the questions that you need to be asking yourself. You have to think about the different members of your family, and what needs to be done to protect them. If your house will need to be prepared for bad weather, you need to make sure everyone knows how to do it. In an emergency situation, it’s much easier to stay cool and calm if you know what you’re doing. Preplanning is the best way to avoid disaster in the future.
Stock Up On Essentials
In a lot of cases, bad weather can cause roads and businesses to close. You may also find yourself trapped within your home if it snows. Or, if the roads are icy, you may not want to travel. For these reasons, it’s well worth having your home stocked up with non-perishable foods. The best options are foods that come in cans. These are usually prepared and sealed to last as long as possible. It’s still worth checking their labels, though. Some canned food isn’t designed to have a massive shelf life. Food that comes in cans can also be stored easily, and without being kept cool. Plus, they’re incredibly hard to contaminate as long as they’re sealed.
It’s also worth thinking about other essentials. Sometimes, bad weather can cause water supplies to be cut off. So, it’s worth making sure you have a good source of fresh water. Bottled water is good, but it can’t be stored indefinitely. You’ll find a best before date on most bottled water. But, that date isn’t for the water inside; it’s for the bottle itself. The plastic will deteriorate over time, spoiling the water inside. So, you need to replace your water every few years. Essentials like toilet paper and tooth paste shouldn’t be forgotten, either. If you could be inside your home for more than a week, it’s worth considering these things very seriously.
Get A Generator
Just like a water supply, extreme weather can kill power in even the biggest cities. Sometimes this won’t be for very long, but if the weather is very severe, you may find yourself without power for a long time. If you’re in an area at risk, you should prepare with a diesel generator and some fuel. These tools are fairly inexpensive and can make life much more comfortable. If your house relies on electricity for it’s heating, you’ll struggle without it in a power cut. With young children, this can be disastrous. Having power will also allow you to cook and light your house, without having to use flames.
Protect Your Windows And Doors
Strong winds and hail can demolish buildings. But, more commonly, they’ll just ruin windows and doors. You can protect these parts of your home, though. Or, at least make them safer. In high-risk areas, it is sensible to install storm shutters on your home. They will protect your windows from external threats almost entirely. But, vibrations can still cause glass to shatter. Use tape to draw an X across the windows in your home. This way, if they break, they won’t collapse and cause danger. Having shards of glass on the floor in an emergency situation puts your whole family at risk of injury. So, even if you can’t prevent damage, it’s worth putting some effort in.
Fortify Your Home
In some places, deadly weather is a common occurrence. If you live in an area like this, it can be worth fortifying your home. This process begins before you ever set foot in the house. Ideally, the house should have some sort of basement. If not, a spare room that can be modified. A basement is best because it’s below ground. This means that even if the building collapses, you’ll still be safe. A spare room can be built to survive a storm, too, though. But, the spare room has to be on the ground floor.
The best way to fortify a basement or spare room is with concrete. It can be molded and formed to line the space, without taking up too much of it. Having reinforced bars within the concrete will make it extremely hardy, too. Of course, this is very extreme work to be performing. So, it’s usually best to hire a professional to do it for you. There are loads of companies that specialize in building bunkers into houses, which are designed to withstand bad weather. This will also give you a good place to store your supplies and generator, without taking up living space.
Hopefully, this will inspire you to protect yourself against bad weather. In most places, you can insure your home against these emergencies, but that won’t protect you or your family during a disaster. So, it’s worth investing in weather protection and provisions earlier rather than later.
