You may not want to think about evacuating as a hurricane approaches, but you should be prepared, says a faculty member with the University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences.

“Now is the time to get your ‘go bag’ together,” said Natasha Parks, a family and consumer sciences agent with UF/IFAS Extension Duval County. “You are more likely to forget something if you wait until right before a hurricane hits.”

Parks offers tips on what to include in your “go bag.”

• Important documents: If you are displaced from your home, proof of identity and ownership will be needed for reentry and in the recovery process.
• Photo identification
• Birth certificates
• Social security cards
• Immunization records
• A list of your current medications
• Insurance and financial information: Homeowner’s insurance, car insurance, contracts, deeds, stocks and bonds
• Digital records: Be sure to make a digital back up of photos and video of personal property. Store originals and copies in a waterproof, re-sealable bag or container.
• Clothing, medication, snacks and water: Pack three to five days of clothes for each person in the household. Include snacks, water and all necessary medications.

For more information, refer to the UF/IFAS Extension Disaster Handbook, a free guide available at http://disaster.ifas.ufl.edu.

0