Make sure you turn off the water and electricity before you leave and bring along all valuable documents and irreplaceable items (photo albums).

SHELTERS

If you must go to a shelter, bring your own supplies because none will be provided for you. Most shelters are run by the Red Cross and do not supply beds. Food is limited and is not provided for special diets. You should go as soon as a shelter announces that it is open because space is limited. Bring a flashlight, radio, medicines, food for 24 hours, medications, sleeping bags and pillows, a folding chair, toiletries, photocopies of valuable papers, identification, and items to keep you amused. You may not bring guns, alcohol or pets.

Only guide dogs are allowed in shelters. Leave your pets home alone only as a last resort (be sure to leave a five day supply of food and leave the animal in your safe place). Call a kennel in advance to reserve space. Ask about emergency procedures and admission requirements. Many kennels require proof of vaccinations, so arrange for those in advance. Some branches of the Humane Society accept pets, but call first. Be sure to identify your pet with tags and bring food, a collar, familiar toy or blanket, and any needed medications.

WORK REQUIREMENTS:
Ask your boss now to excuse you from work to tend to children when a storm threatens. If your job requires you to work during the storm, make sure now that, when the hurricane hits, at least one parent or adult will be with the children.

PEOPLE WITH SPECIAL NEEDS:
Those people who need help with evacuations or require care in the aftermath of a storm should register with your local Emergency Management Office (call 219-4945) prior to hurricane season. Keep the registration form handy. Find out if they will provide transportation and be prepared to bring a safety kit.

SURVIVAL is essentially up to you - it is critical to be able to be independently capable of survival. Emergency crews cannot be dispatched to help you during the height of the storm. You are on your own!

If you are staying in your one-story home, the strongest room is often a bathroom or walk-in closet near the center of the house away from windows and exterior doors. For a two-story house, the strongest wall is often a closet or cubicle near the stairwell. Stock your safe room with a first aid kit, small supply of food and water, a flashlight, tools to break through the rubble afterwards, a cellular phone (a cordless phone will not work without power), blankets and pillows, a radio, games and reading material, a strong animal carrier, and a mattress to protect you from falling/flying debris. You should also have copies of your insurance policies in a waterproof container. You will only be here for a few hours. Wear protective clothing, you may have to push through debris to leave your safe place. If possible, reinforce this room with wooden beams for added protection. With other family members, identify in advance your available escape routes out of the house.