About House & Home: Prepare Your Home for a Natural Disaster

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House & Home From Diane Schmidt, your About House & Home Editor While Hurricane Irene makes her way north, residents of the East Coast are dealing with the storm's aftermath, much of which has affected homes inland as rivers rise and swell. While early preparation notices were issued, often a natural disaster arrives without much warning. The question many people are asking themselves this week is, am I prepared should a natural disaster strike? Get Your Yard Ready for a Hurricane Even though Hurricane Irene is behind us, the hurricane season has just begun and it's up to us to prepare as best we can for any upcoming storms. One of the areas that is most vulnerable to damage are yards and gardens. Find out what you need to do to ensure your property and home are ready for high winds and pounding rain. See More About:  preparing home for storm  storm safety  hurricane safety How To Assemble a Disaster Supply Kit Living on the West Coast for much of my adult life and with the imminent threat of earthquakes always looming, I'm used to having emergency supplies on hand. But having enough canned goods and bottled water is only part of what you need to do. Check out this guide to assembling and maintaining a home disaster supply kit that will ensure your family is well prepared. See More About:  home maintenance  home inspections  second homes Prepare Your Pets for a Disaster Animals need to be part of any household emergency plan, including preparing their own disaster supply kit and knowing which emergency shelters or area hotels will accept our beloved pets should a disaster strike. The list of things you need to do is outlined here with easy-to-follow suggestions and tips. Connect With Loved Ones After a Disaster I volunteer for our local Red Cross and have been involved in a number of area disasters. I've witnessed first-hand how families become separated during a natural catastrophe. Services that connect family members are the key to restoring communication, ensuring that loved ones are brought together as quickly as possible. See More About:  preparing for disasters  handling disasters  House & Home Ads Survival supplies Emergency kits Hurricane Emergency survival Emergency supplies Featured Articles Emergency Planning for Horse and Pony Owners How to Grow Agave Indoors What is the Cloud? Charity Sewing Projects How to Organize Kids' Schoolwork Mailbox Garden Ideas   More from About.com Favorite Summer Frozen Drinks Blended with ice or chock full of fresh fruit, these yummy drinks will liven up any warm-weather gathering. More> Best Frozen Summer Desserts Ten easy, delicious, make-ahead desserts that will cool you down on the hottest of summer days. More>   Sign up for more free newsletters on your favorite topics You are receiving this newsletter because you subscribed to the About House & Home newsletter. If you wish to change your email address or unsubscribe, please click here. About respects your privacy: Our Privacy Policy Contact Information: 249 West 17th Street New York, NY, 10011 © 2011 About.com   Advertisement