One of the best ways to be prepared for these weather situations is to create a family emergency plan.

If your family does have an emergency plan in place, so that everyone knows what to do, it is important to practice, discuss and review it at the start of various weather seasons.

If this step has not yet been completed, here are some things to take into consideration when creating it:

1. Receiving emergency alerts

Today’s technologies make it easy to receive emergency alerts and warnings on your smartphone that is equipped with a weather app or Google. This can provide you with valuable time in severe weather situations, in addition to the warnings and alerts that are broadcast over radio and TV.

2. Knowing storm shelter options

When living in an area where tornadoes are common, you should shelter in the lowest part of your home, preferably a basement if you have one. If there is no basement, use an interior room on the lowest level that is away from corners, windows, doors and outside walls. Tornadoes are not the only situations that require some form of storm shelter, and you can learn about more of the situations that call for them by visiting ready.gov.

3. Having multiple evacuation routes

A mapped out evacuation route is good, and having several routes is best as there is that possibility a route could become impassable. Hurricanes, floods and fires can cause you to evacuate quickly and knowing the routes ahead of time is a plus. Find routes with places that will allow you to stay with your pets along the way.

4. Making sure communication remains open

Cell phones are an excellent form of communication for families in an emergency, however, in some circumstances that may not be entirely possible. Cell phone towers can be damaged, phones may be lost or left behind, and phone batteries will die if there is no power to recharge them.

Your family should have an emergency communication plan in place and a safe meeting place after evacuation so that you can all meet there if separated.

If a storm does cause damage to your home or business, don’t hesitate to call your friends at SERVPRO® of Piscataway to get the cleanup and restoration process started.