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How you should prepare your home for Hurricane Florence

Posted at 4:19 PM, Sep 10, 2018
and last updated 2018-09-10 18:32:41-04

HENRICO COUNTY, Va. -- Jonathan McNamara with the Red Cross walked CBS 6 around a Henrico neighborhood to show folks what they can do now to prepare for Hurricane Florence.

Things like cleaning your gutters.

"Taking time to clear that debris away it's going to allow that water to flow through that and get to the areas it's supposed to drain to instead of pooling up," McNamara said.

And, checking street drains to see if they are clogged.

"Clearing any of this debris, stuff that can start to pile up in front of your drains," McNamara said.

Also, bring lose items inside your garage or house.

"Taking items like your garbage cans, lawn furniture, recycle bins, the types of things that can be picked up and potentially could become a projectile during a storm," McNamara said.

Moving inside, McNamara said people should be ready for a power outage that lasts at least three days.

"Three-day supply of food, water, one gallon per person per day, making sure you fill your prescriptions right now, any medical devices you might have," McNamara said.

He also said you should put clothes, toys and toiletries in your emergency kit in case you need to relocate to a shelter.

"The things that you would need to sustain yourself for a couple of days," McNamara said.

From there, check your smart phones, iPads and tablets, as well as any external battery packs you might have, and make sure you are charging their batteries.

"The types of things that will allow these devices to stay on longer, that will allow you to stay in contact with loved ones, local officials and social media, which is really essential for those types of key updates that will help keep you safe," McNamara said.

McNamara also suggests filling Ziplock baggies with water and putting them in the freezer.

If there is a power outage, those bags of ice will help keep your freezer cold for a longer amount of time.

Depend on CBS 6 News and WTVR.com for complete coverage of Florence. Click here to track the storm with the CBS 6 Interactive Hurricane Tracker

Depend on the CBS 6 Weather Authority

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