Local Supplies Run Out Before a Hurricane as Locals Rush to Buy Supplies Ahead of the Storm
FEMA and the National Weather Service advise all families to build disaster kits as a part of advance planning for the 2019 hurricane season that begins June 1. Those who wait will find supplies difficult to get as other residents rush to stock up before an oncoming storm. Following the first reports of an advancing hurricane, grocery store shelves empty of basic necessities. Lumber yards and home centers sell out of plywood. Long lines form at gas stations. All too familiar events following the first reports of a hurricane taking aim at the coast. In the final hours before landfall, finding nonperishable food and bottled drinking water may prove impossible.
The hurricane hits and everything gets worse. Reaching an open store or gas station may not be possible until crews clear roads or floodwaters subside. Experts recommend a three-day disaster supply kit that includes nonperishable food and water, a week of prescription medicine, and a long list of other supplies that includes everything from batteries to bandages. It’s all part of a disaster supply kit for your home that you can pick up, put in your car, and take with you if evacuation becomes necessary.
Finding supplies becomes even more difficult in the days after the hurricane makes landfall. Stores and gas stations that sold out before the hurricane may take days to restock as they wait for new shipments to resupply.
Electrical power poses yet another problem. FEMA recommends a backup power source as a part of disaster planning. Without power, food spoils in refrigerators and freezers. There’s no heat or air conditioning, sump pumps don’t work, and when the sun goes down, the lights stay out. Homeowners have several options including battery solutions, portable generators, and standby generators.
Generators sell out faster than plywood and building supplies in the days before a hurricane makes landfall.
Travis LaVallie at Norwall (www.norwall.com) advises anyone looking for a backup power source to consider a standby generator. “If the power goes out during the hurricane, a standby generator starts automatically and keeps running until the utility restores power. No refueling required because they run on natural gas or a large propane tank. No one has to go out in the hurricane to start and hook up a portable generator.”
According to Ready.gov, after assessing risks and planning, homeowners and other residents should complete a disaster preparation plan by writing it down and putting it in an easily accessible place where they won’t forget. Keep disaster supplies up to date and expand the kit as necessary. Inform your family and close friends about your disaster plans. Include the special needs of seniors, children, and pets in your disaster planning. Help Your Neighbor with their plan.
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About Norwall PowerSystems
Norwall PowerSystems, established in 1997, specializes in the sale of emergency backup power generators and outdoor power equipment. Norwall stocks 1000s of standby generators, portable generators, automatic transfer switches, and replacement parts in multiple warehouses throughout the US for immediate shipment. With over 75 years of combined experience in the electrical and power plant arenas, sales staff provide courteous and knowledgeable service to customers by listening, taking notes, and providing information in a timely manner. Regular, factory-sponsored training keeps staff up to date on new products. Now in business over 20 years, Norwall has shipped a quarter-million generators.