Do You Have Your Hurricane Disaster Kit Ready?

Hurricanes, severe tropical storms are form of natural disaster. They form in the Southern Atlantic Ocean, the Gulf of Mexico, the Caribbean Sea and in the eastern Pacific Ocean. Hurricanes develop their strength by gathering heat from warm ocean water. Evaporation from the warm ocean increases the energy and power of a hurricane.

Hurricanes rotate in a counter-clockwise direction around an eye. Hurricane winds are at least 74 miles per hours and they can get up to 150 miles per hour.
When hurricanes reach land they create heavy rains, strong winds and in coastal areas large waves called "Storm Surge". Storm Surge is one of the greatest threats to anyone living in a coastal area of the United States.

Hurricane season in America is between late summer and early fall. If you live in a part of the United States that is prone to hurricanes you should have a Disaster Supply Kit in your home.

Remember that when a hurricane hits your area you may lose your electricity. Broken pipes and flooding can contaminate your water supply. You may even have to evacuate and leave your home.

So what should your Disaster Supply Kit contain?

Water.
You need to drink at least two quarts of water every day. Plus you have to allow for cooking and hygiene activities, allow another two quarts per person in your home. And don't forget your pets.

A quick formula to work out how much water you will need in your Disaster Supply Kit is 1 gallon multiplied by the number of people in your home. Multiple this number by three to get the total number of gallons your family will consume each day.

How should you store the water? Don't use glass or milk cartons. Use large plastic drinking bottles. To ensure that the water remains fresh and drinkable add 4 drops of bleach per quart of water. The liquid bleach should contain 5.25% sodium hypochlorite and no soap. Make sure that each water bottle in your Disaster kit is tightly sealed and that none of the water bottles are leaking.