BOSTON -- The Massachusetts Emergency Management Agency offered these suggestions on preparing for Hurricane Earl.

1. HURRICANE DISASTER SUPPLY KIT

Canned goods and nonperishable foods that do not need cooking:

Canned meats and fish
Canned fruits and vegetables
Canned soups and puddings
Canned fruit juices
Dried fruit and nuts
Bread, cookies and crackers
Peanut butter and jelly
Coffee and tea

Manual can opener

Bottled water (1 gallon per person/per day)

Prescription medication (2 week supply)

Extra eyeglasses

Pet food/supplies

Water purification tablets (halazone)

Disposable plates, cups, and utensils

Infant care items:

Disposable diapers
Baby wipes
Baby food
Formula

First aid supplies

Masking and duct tape

Flashlight or lantern, with extra batteries

Battery operated radio, with extra batteries

Watch or battery operated clock

Ice chest

Matches

Canned heat (sterno)

Portable outdoor camping stove or grill with fuel supply

A certain amount of cash

Important documents (Such as wills, deeds, prescriptions, passports, birth certificates, health record, proof of address, Social Security number)

Plastic trash bags

Plastic sheeting or tarp

Chlorinated bleach

Personal hygiene items

Other useful items:

Work gloves
Sun lotion
Insect repellent
Hammer
Screwdriver Pliers
Wrenches
Handsaw
Razor knife
Ax or chainsaw
Rope caulking
Nails and screws
Rope and wire
Broom, mop and bucket
All-purpose cleaner
Ladder
Sandbags
Portable generator
Tree pruner
Shovel, rake and wheelbarrow
Sheets of plywood

2. OTHER STEPS TO TAKE

Trim back trees and shrubbery around your home. Remove diseased or damaged tree limbs that could be blown down, causing damage, during a storm.

Clear clogged rain gutters. Hurricanes/tropical storms often bring torrential rain. Providing clear drainage will help prevent misdirected flooding.

Bring in outdoor items to bring inside such as lawn furniture, trash barrels, hanging plants, toys and awnings that can be broken or picked up by strong winds and used as a missile.

Make sure storage sheds, children’s playhouses or other outbuildings are securely anchored, either to a permanent foundation or with straps and ground anchors.

Elevate articles in your basement that could be damaged from even minor flooding.

Make temporary plywood covers to protect windows and sliding doors. Drill holes for screws or lag bolts in each cover and around each window. Note: Taping of windows does not prevent them from breaking.

Keep you vehicles fully fueled.

Have a certain amount of cash available. If power is lost, ATMs may not be working.

Make a record of your personal property. Keep an itemized list of your furniture, clothing and valuables to assist adjusters in case of a claim. Back it up with photographs or video.

Protect your insurance policies and other important documents in a secure place like a safe deposit box or a watertight box. Many people back up important documents online.

3. FAMILY EMERGENCY COMMUNICATIONS PLAN

Develop a Family Emergency Communications Plan in case family members are separated from one another during an emergency (a real possibility during the day when adults are at work and children are at school, camp or at a friend’s house). This plan should also address reunification after the immediate crisis passes.

Ask an out-of-state relative or friend to serve as the Family Emergency Communications Plan contact person. During and immediately after a disaster occurs, it is often easier to access a long distance telephone number than a local one. Also, calling outside a disaster area is usually easier than calling into the same area.

Make sure everyone knows the name, address and telephone number of the Family Emergency Communications Plan contact person.

Designate two meeting areas for family members – one within your community (your primary location), and one outside of your community (your alternate location). Sometimes an emergency could impact your neighborhood or small section of the community, so a second location outside of your community would be more accessible to all family members.

(Source: Massachusetts Emergency Management Agency)