- Supplies
Gather a disaster supply kit with nonperishable food, water, medicine, flashlights, batteries, and cash. You can also keep a thermos of hot water for drinks or to fill a hot water bottle.
- Backup power
Identify which devices and appliances you need to keep powered and plan how to charge them. You can consider purchasing a portable generator or installing a standby home generator. If you use a generator, learn how to use and ventilate it safely.
- Communication
Determine how you will communicate during a power outage. For example, you can check if your home phone will work and how long the battery backup will last.
- Safety
Establish evacuation procedures, designate assembly areas, and train employees in emergency response protocols. You can also install battery-powered emergency lighting.
- Business continuity
If you run a business, identify critical business functions and develop a business continuity plan. This can include establishing emergency power sources, implementing communication protocols, and securing sensitive data. You can also create a cloud backup of your data.
- Landscape
Trim your landscape to prevent downed trees and limbs from causing power loss.