Photo credit: Harry Elks
Our beloved Aus is renowned for its wonderful weather; picture perfect one day and drop dead gorgeous the next! While summer is the perfect time to get out to the beach, go for a burn in the boat, or simply sit by the telly with a cold one in hand, it's also when storm season really kicks into gear! Now don't let that rain on your parade (although rain is definitely one thing to expect), an Aussie summer is still hard to beat and will provide you plenty of BCFing fun! The trick is to ensure you stay storm safe, so that if things do take a turn for the worse, you're prepared. With flash flooding, strong winds, lightning storms, and power outages all part and parcel with storm season, there's a few things you should keep in mind.
The BCFing experts have put together 4 handy hints for ensuring you're storm ready. Although we hope the skies stay blue, you just can't be too careful!
Tip 1: Ensure your house and garden are storm ready
There's plenty you can do to ensure your home and surrounding property are good to go in the event of a storm. A lot of it is to do with general maintenance and keeping things under control, so that if a storm does hit, things don't go from bad to worse.
- Keeping your gutters and downpipes clear is a simple and effective way to avoid water build up and flooding. While many of us have a dream of one day owning a pool, the outcome of a blocked gutter doesn't count!
- Securing loose items is another no brainer. With winds reaching some pretty damaging speeds, it doesn't take much to turn the kids play toys into a projectile and safety hazard.
- Checking your roof regularly to ensure it's in good nick is a must! When bunkering down inside, the last thing anyone wants is the wet stuff joining them.
- Keeping an eye on trees in close proximity to the house and removing loose branches will again prevent the risk of damage to the property and injury to yourself and others.
Tip 2: Create an emergency plan with your family
This is especially important for those with little people. Sitting down with the fam and actually planning what you should do in the event of a major storm is key.
- Let everyone get involved in the planning process and ensure the whole family is across it with regular reviews.
- Understand where you need to go and what you need to do if a major storm does hit.
- Identify exit points around the house and also where to meet in the event of an evacuation.
- How you will communicate with each other if you are separated is another thing to consider. Will you use mobile phones? Or get a hold of some 2-way radios as a back-up?
Tip 3: Stay tuned for storm warnings
When it comes to weather forecasting, we aren't talking about poking your head out the window and checking what the clouds are doing. We mean tuning into your local radio, TV station or forecasting website and checking for weather updates. Today's advancements in technology have made this easier than ever before, with the majority of people being joined at the hip to their mobile and more weather-related apps than you can poke a stick at.
- Pay attention for any emergency messages on your mobile phone.
- Ensure you and the fam understand what emergency sirens or signals sound like.
- Keep an ear out for emergency services personnel who may knock on your door and advise you to evacuate.
Tip 4: Create an emergency kit
It's no secret that weather conditions can change in the blink of an eye, and sometimes what you thought was going to be the perfect summer's day now looks like nothing but trouble. That's why it's so important to have your emergency kit packed and at the ready. What is an emergency kit you may ask? This kit is made up of the essentials you would grab if you had to leave in a massive rush and includes:
- Important documents (passport, insurance, etc.)
- First aid kit
- Torch/headlamp
- Extra batteries
- Bottled water
- Non-perishable food
- Medication
- Toiletries
Although storms wait for nobody, weather warnings give us that little bit of extra time to prepare. If you've been notified that you will soon need to evacuate, this is when the rest of your emergency gear is worth its weight in gold:
Battery /Power Items
- Torches/Head Lamps
- Portable Radio
- Phone Charger/Cable
- Extension Cord
- Power Bank
- Spare Batteries
Food, water, essential items
- Bottled Water – 3 litres per person
- First aid kit
- Non-perishable food – enough for 3 days
- Can opener
- Kitchenware – cutlery, cups, plates
- Baby Supplies – food, nappies, formula
- Pet Supplies – food, cage, lead etc.
- Spare clothes and shoes
- Rainwear
- Toiletries – Toilet paper, toothpaste, toothbrush, soap, suncreen, insect repellent
- Water purification tablets
Tools
- Knife/Multitool
- Zip Ties
- Rope/Bungee Cord
- Matches
- Candles
- Sturdy Gloves
- Duct Tape
Camping Supplies
- Portable Stove
- Butane Canister
- Tarp
- Blanket
- Sleeping Bag
- Pillow
- Generator
Important Documents
- Insurance Documents
- Passports
- Emergency Contacts
- Cash