As Emergency Preparedness Week begins, Insurance Bureau of Canada (IBC) offers suggestions for how homewoners can protect themselves, their homes from the effects of severe weather.
Severe weather – heavy rainfall, flooding, hail damage, storm surges, tornadoes – can strike hard with little warning and can have a devastating impact on communities and property.
IBC suggests these helpful severe weather preparedness tips:
Assemble an emergency kit – flashlight and batteries, battery-operated radio etc.
Move valuable items from your basement to higher levels in your home.
Clear eaves troughs and downspouts – if safe to do so – to direct water away from your home.
Ask someone to check your property if you are away.
Also take these precautions if you have more time:
Create an emergency preparedness plan for your family.
Prepare a detailed home inventory. This can be done as photos or video.
Install a sump pump and/or sewer backup valve.
Elevate furnaces, hot water heaters and electrical panels in the basement or relocate them to a higher level.
Check with your insurance representative to make sure you have appropriate coverage.