By Sharyn L. Decker
Lewis County Sirens news reporter
Perhaps after the last flood, you thought it would be wise to put copies of your car and house insurance in a ziplock baggie inside your freezer, just in case, but haven’t gotten around to it.
Maybe you actually have a 72-hour comfort kit in your home and in your car, but how old are those extra batteries for your flashlight?
Did you borrow that extra blanket when you went to beach this summer?
How long does beef jerky really last?
The package in the trunk of my car was purchased very shortly after spending a few hours in November 2006 stuck on U.S. Highway 12 in Randle.
The Washington State Emergency Management Division has put together a web page with reminders of what to do to be prepared for a flood and more.
A couple of easy items jumped out at me, like: It’s time to check to see if I need to update my out-of-area contact; a card for each household member with the name and phone number of someone who lives out of the local area because sometimes in a disaster, local phone calls aren’t possible.
Also, I can make sure I’m keeping the temperature in my refrigerator below 40 degrees and the freezer at zero degrees to minimize the loss of food if the power goes out. And, I should freeze a container of water so I could put it into the refrigerator to keep the food colder longer.
The EMD page’s links include items like a checklist for the important documents to copy, a checklist for a comfort kit, frequently asked questions about flood insurance, and, a one-click “rate the flood risk at your address” link.
They call it In Focus 2010, flood safety. It’s their November spotlight. See it here
Tags: By Sharyn L. Decker, news reporter
Till I find it Vicki.
So how long does beef jerky really last?