EEESeeee m,Y,~V.t J a Va rl,wWwWwferinh’ a mw 4 40i 4a W/V, , Ft te ae iinv G Ayi Se?if i.Yi/i2imi EERE SEE eel Make Your Best Effort To Prepare For The Worst Family Safety And Emergency PreparednessTips To Weather Any Storm (NAPSA)—No matter where you live, it’s important for you to prepare for weather emergencies. According to a Time magazinepoll by the Hazards and Vulnerability Research Institute, 91 percent of Americanslive in places at a moderate-to-high risk of hazardous weather events. Despite thelikelihood of a disaster or emergency in your area, most experts agree that there are simple ways to prepare your family before a disaster strikes. In fact, severe weather expert and storm educator John Van Pelt has spent years tracking storms and reporting critical weather data to the National Weather Service and the National Hurricane Center. Van Pelt, also the founder of the Storm Education Team, has seen firsthand the devastation that occurs when people aren’t prepared. He is traveling the country as part of Energizer’s “Plan. Prepare. Protect.” educational campaign. “Preparedness is key,” said Van Pelt. “And getting your family ready is easier than you might think. But you haveto start today.” Van Pelt offers the following tips: 1. Develop a plan and discuss it with your family. Identify the The Storm Education Team helps families prepare for disasters. safest area in your homefor your family to go in case of severe weather, and map out potential evacuation routes in case you need to leave quickly. Also, identify a person as an out-of-state contact to call in case family members are separated and need to check in. During an emergency, a battery-powered device such as the Energizer” Energi To Go Instant Cell Phone Charger will keep your cell phone ready in any situation, so critical communica- tions can alwaystakeplace. 2. Prepare an emergencykit and store it in a safe place. Keep a supply of bottled water, nonperishable food items, toiletries, basic first aid supplies, flashlights and extra batteries in the kit. Lithium batteries are excellent for an emergency kit because they perform in extreme temperatures and can be stored for up to 20 years. Also be sure to have a battery-powered NOAA weather radio and AM/FM radio on hand for important updates. 3. Protect your home by updating your insurance coverage and reinforcing key areas such as your roof, doors and garage doors. Document your valuables for insurance purposes by taking photos andstoring these along with other important documents in a waterproof container with your emergencykit. And during an emergency, such as a power outage, remember to use flashlights instead of candles. Energizer Weather Ready products are a safe alternative specifically designed to provide more than a month’s worth of area lighting on just oneset of batteries. “Family safety should be a priority all year long,” said Van Pelt. “By putting these tips into action, your family will be better equipped to weather the storm— no matter where youlive.” To find out more about John Van Pelt and the Storm Education Team, visit www.storm study.com. For more tips and information on how you can prepare your family for disaster, visit www.energizer.com/preparedness.
