Are You Ready to Weather a Storm?

We are midway through summer and have had few weather-related issues to deal with this season (knocking on wood, NOW!) unlike our neighbors to the north in Kentucky where flooding this week has hit areas hard resulting in wide-spread destruction, leaving many homeless or at the least with some water damage and without electricity and the usual comforts a home provides.

Tennessee has had its fair share of weather-related emergencies in the past few decades, so you probably feel ready to handle most small inconveniences that come with the storms each season. However, it is always good to do a review of your emergency plan and supplies a few times each year to ensure you and your family are prepared whether you must evacuate quickly or shelter in place!

Generators are a very smart and popular first line of defense in an emergency and have been widely advertised lately, especially the “whole house” size. Although they are a great investment, depending on the size of the home, they can start at a cost of around $20,000 for professional installation plus another $1,000-$1,500/year in maintenance costs to keep the warranty valid. For something that may never be needed, that is a pretty steep price tag. However, there are many affordable smaller gas-
powered generator options and battery back-up power banks available starting at a few hundred dollars can be quite useful during short-term power outages. Some may even be useful during your next tailgate party! Just remember if you have a gas-powered generator to test it regularly, have a few long heavy-duty extension cords on hand (refer to your generator’s owner’s manual for proper type/usage information) and keep your gas cans full!

The next two items needed are water and food. Choose food that won’t require a lot of preparation and also has a decent shelf life that everyone likes. If you don’t already have these items in your emergency plan, start with a few days’ supply for each person and pet and gradually add to your stash over time. A simple internet search will provide some ideas about what to buy. Be sure to store your items in a cool, dry location and rotate items in and out throughout the year to keep everything fresh.

If there are prescription medications used by members of your household, be sure to know their location if you had to access them quickly upon evacuation or have some extra over-the-counter medications and a first aid kit stashed near your food and water supply. You should also have some cash on hand and know where important items like wallets, keys, phones, charging cables and
eyeglasses are stored if you must leave your home. Not every emergency will happen during the summer so you will also want to have some cold weather gear and extra blankets on hand. Always have some extra batteries along with a few flashlights or other battery or solar-powered lights and test them regularly. And, if you don’t already have one, buy a radio. Choose an old-school model that uses batteries, a hand crank or has solar-powered capabilities and doesn’t require data streaming to work.

These are just a few simple ideas to get you started on an emergency plan. Most people think about preparing during or right after an emergency has already happened, then life happens, and they forget until the next disaster. If you don’t have a plan, there’s no better time to make one than now, while the sun is shining! .....   "You've Got A  Friend in Real Estate"

Jarod Tanksley 615.403.8265
www.BrentwoodandBeyond.com
Brentview Realty  615.373.2814