As Bel Air and Harford County get ready for Tropical Storm Debby to hit the area during the night of Thursday, August 8 through the morning of Friday, August 9, the Harford County Department of Emergency Services and Maryland Department of Emergency Management offer tips on how you can make sure you and your loved ones are prepared for both the upcoming storm as well as future catastrophic events.
From Harford County DES:
- Remove any loose tree limbs that are around your home
- Make sure outdoor furniture and trash and recycling bins are secure
- Get ready for power outages by testing your generators, flashlights and radios. Make sure you have batteries and gas on hand, as well as cash if card readers are down. Make sure your vehicle is fully fueled.
- Be ready to move to higher ground if you live near a waterway or in an area prone to flooding.
- Make sure your prescription medications are fully stocked.
- Have enough drinking water to last several days.
- Review emergency plans with your loved ones.
Harford County offers an online Emergency Preparedness Guide.
From Maryland Emergency Management:
- Determine the level of risk where you live; identify potential hazards
- Work with your loved ones to create a disaster plan
- Practice that disaster plan
- Create an emergency supply kit for your home and vehicle. FEMA has a list of recommended items for the kit here.
- Work with your children to prepare for an emergency.
- Be prepared to care for seniors, young children including infants and people with disabilities or other special needs.
- Get training to perform basic First Aid and CPR
- Remove or reduce hazards in your home and place of employment
- We live in a post-9/11 world, so you must be prepared for a biological, chemical, nuclear or bomb attack.
- Get involved -- you can volunteer with the American Red Cross, your community's emergency response team, even donate blood.
Visit the MDEM's "Disaster Prepared: Ten Steps to Safety" web page for more information.
Contact Media and Public Relations Specialist David Anderson at 410-838-7181 or danderson@belairmd.org.