Disaster Preparedness

Dear Dr. Per Cap: 

These recent hurricanes have me a little freaked out.  What’s the best way to prepare for a natural disaster?

Signed, 

How to Hunker

Dear How to Hunker,

Having experienced firsthand Hurricane Helene’s destruction in western North Carolina, I’m now very familiar with disaster preparedness.  Beyond generic tips of stockpiling water, other essentials, and not panicking, here’s what I learned.

Communities spin out of control very quickly when people lose power, water, fuel, and access to services.  Tack on damaged infrastructure that impedes travel even for folks with full gas tanks, and you’ve got a recipe for chaos.

My biggest takeaway is to never underestimate or dismiss the potential for a disaster.  It’s very easy to disregard warnings for a hurricane, tsunami, tornado, earthquake, blizzard, or wildfire because they often miss their projected targets or fizzle out before the threat becomes imminent.  After a few false alarms, the emergency supply kit that’s packed away with bottled water, batteries, and canned food gets raided for a picnic at the lake and life goes on.

Don’t let that happen. Protect yourself and your family before you find yourself stuck in a dark house with dwindling resources.  Instead, take heed of those warnings and try to evacuate to a safer area while you can.  Hotels are great if you can afford them – but think of your nearest friends and family who are outside the disaster area.  And forget about smartphones and credit cards.  None of those systems work when power, internet, and cellular service crash.  Cash is king in turmoil so hit the ATM before there’s a run on your local bank or credit union.

In the event you can’t evacuate, maintain enough drinking water and non-perishable food to last at least a week.  If you don’t live near a clean stream or river, invest in a small five-gallon camp shower to maintain hygiene and fill it before the taps run dry.  Next fill all your bathtubs with water so you can flush toilets.  If you’re worried about flooding – stash documents and important papers inside a dishwasher if available.  They’re waterproof.  Lastly, a good supply of firewood and charcoal will provide heat in freezing conditions and a way to prepare hot meals.

Generators can provide electrical power, especially fancy ones that are permanently installed and connected to natural gas.  However, smaller portable generators you find at hardware and home improvement stores suck up gasoline quickly and I’m always leery of storing large amounts of highly combustible fuel at home.  Therefore, I’d recommend a propane powered generator which can run for days on a 100-pound tank.  

When services and utilities are finally restored, they’re often slow and unreliable.  Banks might also limit withdrawals while businesses ration supplies.  So be patient while not ignoring your emotional and mental health which can also suffer tremendously under high stress and uncertainty.

Stay safe, stay strong, stay sovereign!