Released June 6, 2008

LOGAN, Utah -- For the next several months, Mother Nature will bring us such things as electrical storms, range fires, high winds, pouring rain and possibly hail. The storms of summer differ from winter storms in that we don’t have to worry about freezing temperatures. However, it is still worthwhile to consider how to prepare for the inconveniences that may come from weather-caused storms this summer. Here are a few suggestions for being prepared.

• First-aid kit. No home or vehicle should be without a basic, well-stocked first-aid kit. Larger kits that include blankets, first-aid booklets, food and water are available, but a basic kit that costs under $10 would be enough to treat minor cuts and bruises, insect bites, headaches and sunburn. Start with a basic kit and build from there.

• Food and water. Most people have heard they should have a 72-hour kit (which would include a first-aid kit) available if evacuation became necessary. Also remember that while most people can survive several days without food, water is crucial to survival. Be sure to have drinking water available to last three to four days. One gallon per person per day is the general recommendation.

• Light. Whether you have battery-powered flashlights, coil-type flashlights that need to be shaken, hand-cranked or solar-powered, every home should have a working flashlight in several locations. One good place to store them is in each bedroom next to the bed. It is also suggested that every vehicle have two flashlights — one in the glove compartment and one in the trunk.

• Power. Whether run off a car battery, gasoline or diesel fuel, a generator would be very useful in a power outage. While a generator running off a car battery can cost under $200, an industrial-size generator can cost $2,000 to $4,000. You will need to determine which type would best provide for your personal needs.

• Cell phone charger. Most cell phones need to be charged almost daily, depending on the frequency of use. Make sure you can charge your phone without electricity. Car chargers or chargers that accompany hand-cranked flashlights, radios and generators are a few common options. If landline telephone service becomes disrupted or you are stranded on the road, your cell phone may become a key communication device.

• Fuel. Always keep your fuel tank at least half full. Consider where you would go in the event of an emergency, such as the home of a relative or friend who lives outside your community. Then determine how much fuel it would take to get there. In an informal survey of college students attending Southern Utah University, most of them said they would go home to their parents in case of an emergency and would need to travel 200-500 miles to get there. It is important to be prepared for whatever distance you would need to travel.

While it is difficult to prepare for every unforeseen weather event that may inconvenience us this summer, those who consciously establish a preparedness plan will “weather” the storm better than those who don’t.

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http://extension.usu.edu/htm/news/articleID=3539

Contact: Julene Reese, (435) 797-0810, julener@ext.usu.edu