WHY IT’S MORE IMPORTANT THAN EVER TO BE PREPARED

In the Wake of So Many Challenges, Learn Why It’s Important to  Stock Up on Important Products that Promote Safety & Piece of Mind
 
National Preparedness Month occurs every September and encourages Americans to take steps to prepare for emergencies in their homes, businesses, schools, and communities. This year, Preparedness Months comes with unique challenges as we deal with the pandemic and an economic recession. It’s early in the hurricane season, but the nation has already had to deal with serious weather challenges like fires, tropical storms, and Hurricane Isaias. Everyday there is news coverage of record floods, earthquakes, crippling blizzards, and tornadoes hitting unusual parts of the nation. That’s why we’re fortunate to have Cheryl Nelson to provide her top safety tips to help people prepare for the storms. Cheryl is also an instructor and Meteorologist for the FEMA National Disaster Preparedness Center. She’ll share her top safety tips and you’ll learn why this meteorologist has dedicated her career to preparing people to survive extreme weather.  

SOMETHING THAT CAN MAKE HUGE DIFFERENCE IN A DISASTER
Portable generators are a convenient and possibly life-saving tool to help keep your family safe during power outages. However, if not used properly they can pose risks. We’re in the midst of severe weather and hurricane season and the Portable Generator Manufacturers’ Association has important safety tips to ensure safe, proper use of portable generators. To avoid the dangers of invisible, odorless carbon monoxide buildup, always “Take It Outside”which means never running generators indoors; or in garages, basements, crawl spaces, sheds, or other partially enclosed spaces. To prepare for hurricane season and help keep your family safe, always take your portable generator outside and visit www.takeyourgeneratoroutside.com for important safety information. New generator models that comply with the ANSI/PGMA G300-2018 Standard provide enhanced safety through carbon monoxide sensors and shutdown features that help protect against carbon monoxide buildup.

ONE ESSENTIAL ITEM EVERYONE SHOULD KEEP ON HAND
It’s important to make sure you have a good, working flashlight on hand. I recommend Maglite’s ML 300L 4D Cell LED because it offers more than two weeks of continuous light on one set of batteries in eco-mode. According to Popular Mechanics magazine it’s the last flashlight you’ll ever need to buy! Manufactured in America, it gives you the right amount of light for almost any situation and offers legendary durability. You want a quality flashlight that works when you need it. For more information, visit maglite.com/collections/national-preparedness-month

MORE TIPS FOR STAY POWERED UP
We talked about a flashlight, but it is also important to have plenty of batteries. Batteries Plus Bulbs has everything you need to keep your home and business powered up during severe weather and disasters… including back-up power units, lanterns, generators, and alkaline batteries. They also carry jump packs, sump pump batteries and generator batteries. And it’s always important to have uninterruptible power supplies and surge protectors to protect your data and keep you and your family connected during a storm or power outage.  Batteries Plus Bulbs has it all. For more information, visit www.batteriesplus.com

WHAT DO WE HAVE FOR EXTREME WEATHER EMERGENCIES?
Find out if you have flood insurance. The National Association of Insurance Commissioners wants to remind you that a typical homeowners insurance policy does not cover floods – you need flood insurance for that. Flood insurance is available through the NFIP or private insurance companies.Now, regarding your vehicle –  comprehensive auto insurance covers your car for weather-related events like floods and tornados, as well as from theft, fire and animal accidents. This kind of insurance is optional though, so you’ll want to check your policy to see if you are covered.  Visit the naic.org for more information about insurance products. For more information, visit NAIC.org