Hurricane Checklist: Plan to Stay Connected
There are a months until the start of hurricane season. Although 2010 was a relatively mild hurricane season in Florida, you should not become complacent. Anyone who lived here in 2004 and 2005 knows how quickly our luck can change and how powerful and devastating a storm can be.
Throughout hurricane season we discuss preparing an emergency kit, planning for your pets, and planning what to do after the storm. But have you thought about having a plan for your cell phone?
Be sure you have a “Hurricane Phone." It's a good idea to have a wireless phone on hand and at least one corded, landline telephone that is not dependent on electricity in case of a power outage. Cordless telephones usually have receivers that are electrically charged, so they won't work if you lose your power.
Program all of your emergency contact numbers and e-mail addresses into your mobile phone. Numbers should include the police department, fire station, hospital and your family members.
Keep your wireless phone batteries charged at all times. Have an alternative plan to recharge your battery in case of a power outage, such as charging your wireless device by using your car charger, or having extra mobile phone batteries or disposable mobile phone batteries on hand.
Keep your wireless phone dry. The biggest threat to your device during a storm is water, so keep your equipment safe from the elements by storing it in a baggie or some other type of protective covering.
Forward your home number to your wireless number in the event of an evacuation. Because call forwarding is based out of the telephone central office, you will get incoming calls from your landline phone even if your local telephone service is disrupted at your home. In the unlikely event that the central office is not operational, services such as voice mail, call forwarding, remote access call forwarding and call forwarding busy line/don't answer may be useful.
Use your wireless device to track the storm and access weather information. Many homes lose power during severe weather. If you have a wireless device that provides access to the Internet, you can watch weather reports through your mobile device. For more hurricane and disaster tips, visit www.MyFloridaCFO.com.
SOURCE: The AT&T Web site and updated (April 2009) Seasonal Forecast issued by Colorado State University forecasters Philip Klotzback and William Gray.
Keep in mind how you will contact your children after a hurricane or other disaster after the divorce. I highly recommend making a disaster plan within your Florida Parenting Plan.