Hurricane Sandy in the Forecast: Get Ready!

10/28/12 - By Audrey Trieschman

Whether making a direct path for Boston or simply threatening to hit with high winds, a hurricane can wreak havoc on the unprepared. Rather than panic, though, when the news reports begin to hint of an impending storm, it's definitely worth spending some time to be sure you and your family are ready to handle emergencies that can arise. (Batteries? Check. Flashlights? Check. Water? Check.) Read on for a roundup of some sound advice about hurricane preparedness from a number of reliable sources.

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Storm Tracking

You can keep an eye on the storm's progress through the National Weather Service's Hurricane Center or the Weather Channel's hurricane tracker. WBUR has a comprehensive list of resources to check out, with links for everything from where to find storm updates to transportation questions and city preparedness.

Just for Kids

Of course, the threat of a hurricane can be even scarier for kids than for parents, so teaching kids about storm safety is a critical part of getting prepared. Sesame Street has created a hurricane kit, which you can download as a PDF and print out activities for kids and tips for parents. FEMA's website has a special section about hurricanes written just for kids, where they can learn how to be prepared, including suggestions for putting together an activity survival kit:

Kids' Activity Survival Kit

You may have to leave your house during a disaster and may sleep somewhere else for a while. It’s smart to put together your own Kids Activity Survival Kit so you will have things to do and share with other kids. These can all be stored in a backpack or duffel bag. Just make sure you can carry it easily. Some suggested items for your Activity Survival Kit:

  • A few of your favorite books
  • Crayons, pencils or marking pens and plenty of paper
  • Scissors and glue
  • Two favorite toys such as a doll or action figure
  • One or two board games
  • A deck of cards
  • A puzzle (One with lots of pieces is good -- it takes a long time to do!)
  • Small people figures and play vehicles that you can use to play out what is happening during your disaster -- such as ambulance, fire truck, helicopter, dump truck, police car, small boats.
  • Favorite stuffed animal or puppet
  • Favorite blanket or pillow
  • Pictures of the family and pet
  • A "keep safe" box with a few treasures that make you feel special.

For more ideas about keeping housebound children from going stir-crazy, please visit our New York site and see how to have fun with the kids when you're stuck at home.


Photo courtesy of wcvb.com