Plan, prep and don't be overwhelmed, Iowans. Here are 5 tips to prepare for severe weather

Paris Barraza, Des Moines Register

Living in Iowa means dealing with severe weather such as tornadoes, floods and extreme temperatures

You knew that already?

Well, that’s vital information in emergency preparedness, said Ryan Lowry-Lee, community preparedness officer with the Federal Emergency Management Agency.

When people are more informed about what kinds of disasters and hazards can impact them, the more likely they are to prepare for them, Lowry-Lee said of one finding in a recent FEMA national household survey on preparedness.

More: The end of El Niño could ramp up tornadoes in Iowa. What to expect this year.

Awareness is the first step, but what else can you do?

Severe Weather Awareness week is March 25-29, and the Des Moines Register spoke with Lowry-Lee and Allie Bright of the Iowa Department of Homeland Security and Emergency Management on how to plan for a natural disaster, and what items you should have in your emergency kit.

Here are five things you should know to be prepared for an emergency.

1. Have a plan, and build a network of support before an emergency

Have conversations with family, friends, neighbors, church members and so on about what to do in an emergency, Lowry-Lee said. These people also become a network of support that can be especially helpful in these situations and can be especially important for older adults and people with physical, cognitive and behavioral disabilities, he said.

Identify the specific needs of older adults and people with disabilities in your life. Do they utilize medical equipment that requires power and what can be done in the event of a power outage? Do they require medication that they’d need a supply of in an emergency? Those are conversations people can also have with their doctors and insurance to see, for example, if it’s possible to have an extra, several-day supply of their medication, Bright said.

Some other topics to discuss as you make plans with loved ones include:

  • How can we stay in contact if we’re separated from each other? One suggestion is to designate someone to contact outside of where you live, Bright said. That way, if you are separated from your loved ones in an emergency and have difficulties contacting each other in your affected area, your out-of-town contact can pass along messages.

  • Do we have a meeting place?

  • Do we have the contact information of our loved ones?

2. Build your emergency supply kit, and don’t forget your pets

Build a kit with three to five days' worth of supplies. That includes a suggested one gallon of water per person per day (so a household of five would need 25 gallons of water for five days).

Oh, and don’t forget pets need about a half-gallon to a gallon of water, too, Bright added.

Items you’ll need include nonperishable foods — and a can opener for all the canned food you may have — flashlights, batteries, a pair of sneaks, socks and a jacket, pet food, Lowry-Lee said. Include your entire household in the emergency kit making. Households with young children might want to include items that will help keep their minds off whatever emergency they are facing, he said.

3. What supplies am I forgetting? Documentation, for one

Insurance contact information, contact information for your doctor and medical records are among the important documents that you’ll want to have. Keep digital copies, perhaps stored on a flash drive, said Bright, or have documents stored in a fireproof safe, suggested Lowry-Lee.

4. Stay informed: Alert Iowa and local media can help during a disaster

Alert Iowa is a statewide emergency communication system that 92 counties in Iowa use. Visit homelandsecurity.iowa.gov/alert-iowa to see if your county utilizes the system and sign up for alerts, which include weather alerts to local alerts that may include information on evacuation shelters, if you’re under a boil order and more, Bright explained.

Tuning into local media is another way to stay informed about what’s going on in your community, Bright said.

More: How to best experience the Des Moines Register app

FEMA also has an app that you can put in up to five zip codes to get emergency alerts for those areas. Alerts on your phone can be especially helpful in case of an emergency in the middle of the night to wake you and get you informed.

5. Feeling overwhelmed? Here are some tips!

Time, resources and money are barriers for some in being prepared for an emergency, Lowry-Lee said. His suggestion is to start with what costs nothing: being informed and signing up for emergency alerts for where you live.

When it comes to building your kit, start with water, Bright suggested. Other tips for building your emergency kit and getting prepared for an emergency from Bright and Lowry-Lee include:

  • Hold on to your old shoes and put them in your emergency kit.

  • Visit ready.iowa.gov to find checklists for your emergency kits and visit ready.gov to find specific information on how to prepare for different severe weather events, tips for older adults, an emergency supply list and more.

  • Reach out to your local emergency management before an emergency, Lowry-Lee said. Learn from them what resources at the local level can be provided to help you be prepared. Polk County Emergency Management can be reached at 515-286-2107.

  • Find an extra bag around the house and contribute to your kit one item at a time during each grocery store visit. Utilize dollar stores to help save money.

  • Take advantage of free classes on disaster preparedness and trainings.

  • Remember: You don’t need to build your emergency kit all at once. It takes time, and that’s OK.

Paris Barraza is a trending and general assignment reporter at the Des Moines Register. Reach her at pbarraza@registermedia.com. Follow her on Twitter @ParisBarraza.

This article originally appeared on Des Moines Register: How do I prepare for a natural disaster in Iowa? 5 things to know

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