The spring is truly a wonderful time of year accented by warmth and growth. As the sun becomes more present in the sky, your garden starts to bloom with fresh flowers and vegetables cultivated from organic heirloom seeds. Your children can start playing outside more, enjoying the swing set or simply riding a bike around the neighborhood with friends. However, as we mentioned a few weeks ago in this blog, the spring can bring some brutal weather along with it.

While we gave you tips on how to deal with unexpected spring storms in a previous post, there are ways to prepare for this type of weather way ahead of time. Here are some things you can do to be prepared before nasty weather catches you off-guard:

Risers – Purchase some risers to elevate your items that are stored in a basement area. These can be simple plastic pallets – just something water-resistant that will keep your items dry if a small flood occurs in the lower portion of your home. For those who live in single level homes (or homes that are flush with the ground) make sure you are extra careful when flash floods are forecasted.

Insurance – If you live in a severe storm-prone area, reevaluate your home insurance with an agent and consider purchasing extra protection for flood and other storm-related damage. On this same note, keep your personal documents regarding coverage, citizenship and finances in an area safe from water damage and prying eyes.

Plan – Develop an emergency plan for your entire family in case a storm or emergency situation separates you from each other. In case you cannot meet up due to worsening situations, establish a contact person who lives out-of-state. A lot of times, phones won’t work well in the storm-affected area, but will work when calling long distance. This way, you will know if your family is safe.

These are some simple guidelines to follow when preparing your home and family regarding spring storms. Make sure you look for more information about emergency preparedness in the spring.