Keep Going West, Isaac!

This is the 11 a.m. forecast track from the National Hurricane Center. It shows Tropical Storm Isaac going a little bit west of us. Remember that all of Florida still remains within the forecast "cone of probability" of where the storm could go. Also, storms can be hundreds of miles across so even if it stays on its current track, we will see strong winds.

Here are some tips from the Federal Alliance for Safe Homes (FLASH) on things to do to get ready.

Prepare Your Family

• Review your family emergency plan. Be sure to review and update any evacuation plans.
• Ensure your family emergency kit is complete. Your kit should include, at a minimum:
• Enough food and water for all members of the family, including pets, to last at least 72 hours
• Extra cash on hand since an extended power outage may prevent you from withdrawing money from automatic teller machines or banks
• A battery powered and NOAA weather radio
• First aid kit and toiletries
• Flashlights and extra batteries
• Blankets, pillows, extra clothes, toys and games to keep the family comfortable and occupied
• Special needs items for babies, family members with special medical needs and pets
• Fill your gas tank; gas stations rely on electricity to power their pumps.
• Gather and store important paperwork like insurance papers, mortgage documents, marriage certificates, etc. in waterproof containers.

If the Power Goes Out

• Do not run a generator inside a home or garage. Use gas-powered generators only in well-ventilated areas.
• Connect only individual appliances to portable generators.
• Don't plug emergency generators into electric outlets or hook them directly to your home's electrical system - as they can feed electricity back into the power lines, putting you and line workers in danger.
• When power comes back on, it may come back with momentary, "surges" or "spikes" that can damage equipment such as computers and motors in appliances like the air conditioner, refrigerator, washer or furnace.
• When power is restored, wait a few minutes before turning on major appliances to help eliminate further problems caused by a sharp increase in demand.

For more hurricane preparedness tips, visit www.flash.org or call 877.221.SAFE.