Gear Up for a Hurricane
We are knee-deep in a predicted active hurricane season, fueled by climate change, in the middle of a global pandemic. Wow. Let's pray for the best but prepare for the worst.
Document with photos
Break out your smartphone and start taking pictures. Take photos of everything. Use your phone to document the exterior and interior of your home and your car. If you are fortunate enough to have additional structures on your property, like a gazebo, kennel, playground or shed, get images of those too.
Don't forget your smaller valuables; in my case, I'd take photos of my laptop. Perhaps you would take pictures of your jewellery.
Don't hold back ... snap away.
Document with lists
Taking pictures first makes the next step easier. Open up your smartphone notes app (or fire up a spreadsheet if you are so inclined) and make a list of your valuables.
Ideally, your list should have a full description, the date acquired and the cost of all the items. Feel free to email this list to your insurance provider from now.
Scan everything
It is still advisable to place your passport, birth certificate and other important documents in a Ziplock® bag or suitable sealable container. But, take it a step further and use your smartphone to scan it all.
For documents, I highly recommend taking a scan rather than taking a photograph. Trust me, the scan will make a better print—both iOS and Android offer native scan apps that you can use, so you have no excuse.
Back it up
Grab your scans, your photos, your lists and ... email them to yourself. It's the quickest way to send them to the cloud. You should still do a full back up of your phone, your laptop and any other data using the 3, 2, 1 backup rule.
Simply put, you always have three copies of your data ... two physical copies in different locations and one copy in the cloud.
I get chills just thinking about it ... being flooded out, seeing everything wash away, being rescued and then logging on to an international enabled device to access all my documents. A happy ending but still scary.
Make a plan
Even with all the communications options available in the modern age, a hurricane can be disruptive.
Plan ahead and let relatives and close friends know what alternate communications channels are available. If phone lines get jammed, and instant messages are delayed, consider text messaging. Checking in as "safe" on Facebook is another popular trend.
You could consider voicemail ... if you are too young to know what that is, look it up. Save your phone battery by recording a voicemail message for all callers to know your situation; which I hope is "safe".
Charge everything
Speaking of battery life, charge everything. Do you remember that power bank you won at the office party? Charge it! Got a banger phone, old smartphone, retired iPad? Make sure they are all fully charged.
Then tweak the settings to reduce battery drain. I have a whole other post on that, but briefly, turn off location tracking, delete data-hungry apps like Facebook and reduce screen brightness to start.
Make sure you have a full tank of gas and car charger too, it could save you in a pinch.
Top it up
If you are using a pre-paid phone it is time to top it up. Buy some credit. Pay for minutes. Upgrade your data plan. If you are using a post-paid phone, double check to ensure the account is up to date. Do what you to to do stay connected.
Get the right news
Since you are connected, you may be tempted to hunker down with your TikTok, Twitter and Instagram feed, but I don't recommend it. Pick, and periodically check, just a few trusted social media accounts to for the latest updates.
Find and download a good news app, preferably a local news app. This is where I recommend the free Gleaner app.
And here is my WhatsApp warning — be cautious. WhatsApp can provide valuable updates and spread fake news and your own wits are its only filter. Worse, ongoing group messages can drain your battery. Mute, the groups are not likely to provide any practical information during a crisis.
Move it around
Check on your electronics and connections to make sure they are not vulnerable. Is your cable from your ISP properly secured or exposed? Are your router and cable box too close to the floor? Are your solar panels battened down? This is the time to sure it all up.
Light it up
Since we can't be sure the lights will stay on, it's best to have our own.
The Luci inflatable solar light is a great option. It's simple, effective, waterproof easy to use and most importantly, it's reliable.
For me, this is a requirement for every hurricane kit, car kit, camping kit ... whatever kit.
Go low tech
Find a battery-operated, or better yet, a hand-cranked, FM radio - not a radio app. When compared to the internet, VoIP, terrestrial phones, satellite and broadcast TV, FM radio is still the most reliable communication system everywhere in the world.
Here is where I drop another shameless plug for Radio Jamaica. If the power fails, at least you can be entertained.
Just in case this happens, let’s take a few steps to prepare
Recap
Before we go, let’s do a quick recap. As soon as this video is finished:
Grab your smartphone a take pictures of all all your valuables
Scan important documents and email all the files to yourself
Make a list and share it with your insurers
Make multiple back ups of all your data and charge all your devices.
Make a coms plan for your relatives and close friends
Top up your mobile account
Download a good news app
Mute unnecessary groups on WhatsApp.
Move your devices to higher ground
Secure all your cables
Get some lights and a real radio
You got this! Please stay safe.
