Community Corner

Preparing for Irene at Home

Take control of your family's storm safety.

As the town residents should prepare as well.

Hurricanes are considered to be a coastal danger, but inland there are dangers as well. Flooding, downed power lines and trees can pose severe threats in the Merrimack Valley during a hurricane.

North Andover Emergency Management Director Jeff Coco suggested people in town pay more attention to supplies -- water bottles, food, radios, flashlights, etc. -- than trying to manually block their homes from damage with boards. Taping windows will not prevent wind damage, but it can contain glass shattering if the wind does break a window.

Find out what's happening in North Andoverwith free, real-time updates from Patch.

During hurricanes, many people board up their windows to fight the wind. But Coco said that is more of an issue in coastal communities, with the main concern in North Andover being flooding and limbs falling.

"If you have a board on your window and a tree hits your house, it’s not going to make a difference."

Find out what's happening in North Andoverwith free, real-time updates from Patch.

Coco said he would be speaking with state and federal emergency agencies today and throughout the weekend to monitor the storm closely. In the meantime, here are some ways you can prepare for Hurricane Irene.

Stock Up

The Massachusetts Emergency Management Agency recommends stocking up on several days worth of emergency suplies in advance of the storm.

An emergency kit should include at least the following items:

  • Portable radio
  • Flashlight
  • Extra batteries
  • Blankets and pillows
  • Toiletries and hygene itemes
  • First aid kit
  • Extra prescription medication.
  • Bottled water: at least one gallon daily per person for three to seven days.
  • Food: at least enough for three to seven days; non-perishable packaged or canned food and juices; food for infants or the elderly; non-electric can opener.
  • Cooking supplies: cooking tools, fuel, paper plates and plastic utensils.
  • Cash and credit cards

Be Ready

MEMA also offers the following tips for preparing for the hurricane at home.

• Develop a "family communication plan" detailing how you and your family will communicate during the storm.
• Learn your community’s emergency management plan, including emergency notification systems, potential evacuation routes and locations of public shelters by contacting your local emergency management director.
• In highly flood-prone areas, keep materials on hand like sandbags, plywood, plastic sheeting, plastic garbage bags, lumber, shovels, work boots and gloves.
• Be aware of streams, drainage channels and areas known to flood, so you or your evacuation routes are not cut off.
• As a storm approaches, continually monitor the event on local media.
• If advised to evacuate by public safety officials, do so immediately.

Be Connected

Verizon, the town's communications provider, sent the town tips on keeping phones connected during the storm.

  • If you rely solely on cordless phones in your home, you should consider getting an inexpensive hard-wired phone that plugs directly into your home's wall jacks. Cordless phones will not function without commercial power, but corded phones will work in the event of a loss of commercial power.
  • Answering machines won't work without power, but voice mail service will work and can serve as a family message board.
  • Charge all battery-powered devices before the storm hits, including wireless phones, laptops, flashlights and radios. And make sure you have enough batteries.
  • Make contact lists and create communications plans for loved ones before the storm hits. Don't just rely on contacts stores in electronic devices.
  • Gas pumps rely on commercial power, so top off all vehicle and generator fuel tanks before the storm.
  • If you live in a flood-prone area, protect sensitive equipment like computers and TVs by getting them as high above ground as you can.


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