ROANOKE (WSLS 10) - As Hurricane Joaquin continues its march towards the coast, the American Red Cross is urging residents to prepare now in case local authorities issue evacuation orders.
Create a family evacuation plan. Use local maps and identify alternate evacuation routes from home, work and/or school. Know where you are going and how you plan to get there before you leave home. Include your pets in your evacuation plan. If it is not safe for you, it is not safe for them. Develop a family communication plan by identifying an out-of-area contact person that family members and friends can call if you are separated from one another. Watch TV, listen to AM/FM or NOAA weather radio and check the Internet often for official news.
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Update your emergency preparedness kit. Ensure your kit has the following items: Water - one gallon per person, per day; non-perishable, easy-to-prepare food; a battery-powered or hand-crank radio, flashlight and plenty of extra batteries; a first aid kit; prescription and non-prescription medication items (seven-day supply); copies of important documents; cell phone chargers; sanitation and personal hygiene item; extra cash; and pet supplies.
Prepare your home. Close all windows and doors. Cover windows with storm shutters or plywood. Make trees more wind resistant by removing diseased and damaged limbs, then strategically removing branches so that wind can blow through. Strengthen garage doors and unreinforced masonry. Move or secure lawn furniture, outdoor decorations or ornaments, trash cans, hanging plants and anything else that can be picked up by wind and become a projectile.
If you need to evacuate, do so immediately. Follow the direction of local authorities on which routes to take, which evacuation shelters to seek, and other important advice. To locate the nearest Red Cross emergency shelter, check your hurricane app or visit redcross.org/shelter. If you do not have Internet access, call the Roanoke and New River Valley Chapter at 540-985-3535 for information. Keep listening for updates, as the intensity and the path of the hurricane can change quickly, and without notice. Stay away from floodwaters. If you come upon a flooded road, turn around and go another way. If you are caught on a flooded road and waters are rising rapidly around you, get out of the car quickly and move to higher ground. The floodwaters may still be rising, and most cars can be swept away by less than two feet of moving water.
For more information on what to do before, during and after a hurricane, please click here!