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Our family members will tell the tales of those crazy and wacky storms in the east during our visit together, and how we were tempted not once, but several times to think about getting down into the basement for protection during severe storm warnings and tornado weather heading our way. A bonus however was the education of it all, making memories while all of the children became knowledgeable about predicting the differences between a simple rain storm in progress, and later much more serious ones culminating overhead. We watched tornado video clips on YouTube, and learned to read the signs for using extreme safety precautions (like when our daughter was next door trying to round up the horses to get them into the barn and forked lightning was falling all about, a steel roof on the barn where she was trapped until the storm passed overhead).
Due to the severity of the past three weeks of summer storms, and the unusual behavior of such weather here, our concreted walls inside our storage room downstairs is now becoming equipped with such items as a water supply, flashlights and a small food supply for the summer months. “Better to be safe than sorry” has now become another new family motto, a new necessity for our family to feel a sense of control, lessening any momentary panic so rational takes over when any future tornado warnings around our part of the country come to call.
I found it necessary to do search on Google for tornado preparedness and found this LINK HERE . Key phrase coined – “Forewarned is forearmed”.
In our tornado shelter (or whatever we wish to call it for lack of a better description name here) we will begin to stock the following items and take notes from specific disaster kit items from THIS LINK HERE and HERE .
- Lots of water, and containers to drink from
- Snacks and/or food storage will now become more organized inside of it on the shelves located there
- Can opener
- Flashlights
- Ensure a cell phone comes with us, or two and sturdy shoes
- First aid kit
- Blankets or other items to keep warm
- Need to invest in a battery operated radio, or use a radio walkman or whatever.
- Extra batteries good for storage.
- What to do about hubby’s meds, masks and oxygen when necessary?
- Washroom ideas??
The weather the past few weeks has been MOST unusual to say the least, and not just here geographically but all over eastern regions. When family members were trapped several times in our brutal weather, it’s not necessarily going to be that they will be at home the next time. We understand that. Education and preparedness are important keys, as well as formulating a serious (!) plan of action in the event of having to seek a safe shelter for a time.
Be safe, be prepared, and enjoy every moment of this season everyone!
Oh, the sweetness of summer and all it holds for us ~ gotta love it !
