As summer winds down, in many parts of the country it’s time to start thinking about storm preparation. Whether you live in an area that sees frequent snowstorms, hurricanes, or typhoons, if you have a new person in the house, you may need to alter your preparations a bit this year.
If you haven’t already made a disaster kit for your family, there’s no time like now. The Red Cross has a good starting list for you to work with. No matter where you live, your kit should include enough bottled water for everyone (including any pets and extra if there’s a breastfeeding mother in the household), non-perishable food, a radio, and a first aid kid. If you live in an area that could be evacuated, find out the evacuation meeting point.
If you have a baby in the house, your kit also needs to have everything you need in case you get stuck in the house for a few days, with or without power. Formula, diapers, wipes, and diaper rash cream are necessary. Since babies grow so fast, you will probably want to check the size of diaper you have in your kit fairly often and swap out for larger sizes as needed.
I live in an area known as typhoon alley. Typhoon season, much like hurricane season in the southeast United States, occurs during a pretty hot time of year. If you are dealing with a hot weather disaster season, particularly if you have an infant and/or small child in the house, you may consider turning any A/C units down to a cooler temperature than you usually run. In the event of a power outage, your house will stay cooler longer (especially if it’s well insulated), which will help your baby not overheat.
Once your baby is old enough to play, it’s wise to have a selection of toys and books in your disaster kit. In the event you lose power and are shut in, or worse if you’re evacuated to a shelter, your baby will have some things to play with.
Meaghan Howard is a mom to two little boys, ages 4 and 6. She’s currently enjoying the expat life in Japan.
Tags: baby, disaster, emergency, preparedness, severe weather
