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The 2006 hurricane season, which begins today, is expected to be an active one. Recently, AccountingWEB has published articles on protecting your business and financial records should disaster strike. As important as these records are, however, there are more important things to protect, like yourself and your family.

Here are some tips for preparing for the hurricane season and protecting those you love:

- Prepare a family disaster plan, including places to meet and who to contact in the event the family becomes separated. Because communication out of the storm zone may be limited, choose one person outside the area to contact after the storm and ask them to contact other family members and be sure they have up-to-date contact information.

- Identify evacuation routes and the locations of public shelters. Identify places to stay if evacuation is ordered, preferably with family or friends in states outside of the danger zone, before you need them and plan the route you will take to get there.

- Stock up on non-perishable food, water and post-storm necessities, such as batteries and pet food. If you take any medications daily, keep at least a 14-day supply on hand. Be sure the first aid kit is fully stocked and in a secure but accessible place.

- Purchase items needed to secure your residence early, before a storm is scheduled to make landfall. If you need assistance securing your house, make arrangements with neighbors or others, before you need them. Keep vegetation trimmed and repair loose masonry, wood or metal items and trim as soon as possible.

- Keep vital medical and contact information in a watertight container onsite. One good way to do this is to put copies in a large pill bottle and tape it to the bottom of one of the shelves in the refrigerator. Be sure to note the number of people in the house and any special medical needs they have at the time of the storm. Finding out how "hurricane-proof" your house is, can help you determine when you need to evacuate, even if evacuation is not ordered.

The most important thing you can do to protect yourself is to educate yourself and your family about hurricanes and the risks they pose. Be sure that information shared with children is appropriate for their age. Whether you have lived your entire life in a storm zone or are embarking on your first hurricane season, being smart and staying informed about situations that can change rapidly is the best thing you can do.

Written by Jay Hammond, Managing Editor, AccountingWEB.com
editor@accountingweb.com

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