Advertising feature
SURVIVING summer storm season is all in the preparation. And the Australian Red Cross have made preparing a whole lot easier with its survival kit checklist and Get Prepared app.
The Survival Kit Checklist will help you get your essentials together for surviving and recovering from an emergency.
Survival items are things that might get you through days without water or power, or help you to make do if roads are cut off. Recovery items are things you'll need after to rebuild your life.
Not sure what to pack in your survival kit? The Australian Red Cross has made it easy – its online emergency checklist is ready for you to download. Some of the suggested items include:
- A light: Don’t leave batteries in a torch, and check them every six months. Consider wind-up torches (Red Cross sells them online at redcross.org.au).
- Water: Never drink tap water after an emergency until authorities have advised it is safe. Water can be stored for up to 12 months in airtight containers. Label when water was last changed.
- Food: Remember the needs of everyone in your household, including babies, children and pets. Have at least three days’ worth of food (meals, drinks and snacks) ready in case you need to leave home. If staying home, you will need food high in energy with a long shelf life that’s easy to prepare.
- First aid kit: As well as buying a Red Cross household or car first aid kit, it’s also a good idea to do first aid training.
According to TV Magic Southside technician Nick Howell, homes also need to be storm ready and prevention is the best cure during the season.
“Have TV Magic come buy and perform a pre storm check,” he said. “This will ensure everything on the roof is secure and in good condition, not falling apart, and has good quality cabling.”
Nick said TVs and AV equipment are very sensitive to power surges.
“It’s important to unplug everything from the power points and TV sockets, even if surge protectors are in place. The surge protectors are really there for when you aren't home and can't unplug everything.”
Also in preparation for storm season, it is important that your gutters and valleys are clean and unblocked.
Insurance companies and roof repairers say that many homes could have prevented internal water damage due to blocked gutters and valleys if their roofs had been guarded with a reputable gutter guard.
Brisbane business Leafshield Gutter Protection has a system which allows leaves to slide off the roof instead of blocking up your valleys and gutters and they offer a free gutter clean with every installation.