The Storm Is Near

What can I do now to prepare?

If your emergency kit is assembled, you already have taken one of the most important steps. Check it again to be sure it has what you need. Make any last-minute purchases.

What are good nonperishable foods to have on hand?

Foods that are easy to prepare and need little water: Canned pastas, soups, meats such as tuna, fruits and juices, peanut butter, jelly, crackers, granola bars, raisins, dried fruits, beef jerky and canned juice.

I don't have much time. What's the most important stuff I need?

Collect these personal and household documents:

Marriage certificates, divorce decrees, birth certificates, driver's licenses, Social Security cards, passports, immigration records, trusts and wills.

Titles, deeds and registrations for property and vehicles; mortgage and other loan information.

Bank account records, insurance policies, investment records, credit card statements, income tax information.

Put the papers in a waterproof container and tuck it in a drawer or high on a shelf. Take the container with you if you evacuate.

What can I do now to make life easier if my power goes out?

Fill your vehicles with gasoline because gas stations may not have electricity for the pumps. Have cash because ATMs and credit card machines won't work without power.

Do the laundry and run the dishwasher.

Have a cell phone charger that runs off the car's cigarette lighter.

Have a battery-powered television and rabbit ears or a battery-powered radio to help you stay informed.

Get a battery-powered hand-held fan to help keep cool.

Turn the refrigerator and freezer to their coldest settings. Fill their empty spaces with containers of water.

When should I put up the shutters and move the stuff out of my yard?

A tropical storm watch means winds of 39 mph to 73 mph are possible within 36 hours. A hurricane watch means you can expect winds of 74 mph or higher within 36 hours. Next is a hurricane warning, meaning winds exceeding 73 mph could arrive within 24 hours or less.

Put up shutters and remove objects in the yard during the watch. Winds could quickly become too strong for you to wrestle with heavy shutters during the warning.

Make it easier by teaming up with friends or neighbors to put up shutters or plywood panels and clear yards of potted plants, garden gnomes, statuary, barbecue grills, bird baths, political signs, patio furniture, and anything else that can become a missile.

Don't put tape on the windows. It is a waste. Tape provides no protection and is hard to remove.

I've got plywood for my windows. How do I put it up?

If you have a frame home, locate the framing studs. Drive wood screws through the plywood and into the center of the stud above, below and on the sides of each window. Be sure the screws hit the studs solidly to provide an anchor. (Illustration on Page 19.)

If the shortest dimension of the window or door is 4 feet or less, space the fasteners 6 inches apart. If the shortest dimension exceeds 4 feet, space the fasteners 3 inches apart.

To attach plywood to a concrete block home, use a 7/32- inch concrete bit to drill holes in the concrete wall around the window. The holes should be at least 3 inches from the edge of the window and spaced about one foot from each other.

Insert PanelMates - special hanger bolts available at hardware stores - into the holes. Drill matching holes into your plywood sheet.

To hang the panels, slide the plywood over the protruding PanelMate bolts. Place a washer on each bolt, then fasten with wing nuts.

How can I protect my pool?

Stow pool equipment and super chlorinate the water. Lower the water level by about one foot to absorb rain from the storm. Don't lower it more or groundwater rising underneath could uproot the pool. Turn off the pool pump at the circuit breaker to keep it from shorting out.

How can I protect my home if there's flooding?

Nothing can guarantee water will not get into your house if the area floods. However, you can reduce the amount. (Illustration on Page 19.)

Tape a large plastic sheet across any doorway water may enter, extending it along the outside wall well past the door opening. Attach it a few feet up the wall, spread the plastic on the ground away from the foundation and weigh it down.

Or, fill sandbags halfway and stack them to channel water away from your home. Tamp each sandbag into place, completing each layer before beginning a new one. Lay a plastic sheet between the building and the bags to control the flow. Don't stack the bags more than three high unless they are leaning against something solid. They could topple.

You can use sandbags across a doorway in addition to the plastic sheeting. Put the sheeting across the doorway and stick it to the walls with tape. Stack several rows of sandbags on it in front of the door.

You also can use expandable foam sold in home supply stores. It comes in spray cans and hardens quickly. Spray it around the edges of a doorway higher than you would expect water to reach and along the bottom of the door.

You can remove the hardened foam with a putty knife, but it will probably take off the door finish, too.

What else can I do to reduce flooding problems?

Clear brush and other debris from the road to keep it from clogging the storm sewer. Clean the gutters to keep water moving away from your house.

Elevate your furniture on concrete blocks, 2-by-4s, or bricks and put wood furniture legs in plastic containers to protect them.

Unplug your computer. Move electronic equipment to high places, preferably a second floor. Don't overlook closets when moving items off the floor.

Put photographs and other special keepsakes in waterproof containers or drawers. Roll up area rugs and put them on a table or a bed.

If you put your clothing in plastic bags, be sure to seal them completely.

Pin up draperies and upholstery skirts.

How can I protect the fish in my aquarium if the power goes out?

Battery-powered air pumps are available at aquarium stores and bait and tackle shops. Have spare batteries for the pumps in your emergency kit.

What can I do now to prepare for insurance claims?

Take pictures of every room in your home. Mail them to someone out of state for safekeeping. You can use those to compare with photos you take after the storm if there is damage.