By Mary Ann Pekara

The United States government is taking many steps, both large and small, to keep the people of this country safe as we prepare for Hurricane Sandy to roll through.

Schools have been closed. Subways have been shutdown. Airports are closed. Cities and towns are practically closing down in the hopes of keeping people safer.

Regardless of how well the weather can be predicted, there is really no way to fully prepare for a storm of this magnitude. Hurricane Sandy is a Category 1 beast of a hurricane and we need to take every precaution we can and then hope we don’t see the worst of it.

Here are some things you should do to prepare:

• Have a safety plan. If you have not been told to evacuate, know where to go in your house to be safest, farthest from windows and glass doors. Tell someone (outside of your house) where you’ll be.
• Stay tuned to weather announcements. You’ll need as much information as possible to keep you as safe as possible.
• Prepare for power outages and turn off/unplug electricity. Be ready to use generators and/or battery operated devices, especially flash lights. You’ll want electricity off in the event that you take in a lot of water from the storm.
• Have water and food in a plastic bag in the room with you. In the event you get trapped, you’ll need essentials as close as possible.
• Charge your cell phone. It is impossible to say whether or not your cell phone will work during the storm, but don’t get caught with a dead battery in an emergency.
• Secure valuables and important items. Birth certificates and other important documents, as well as valuable/non-replaceable items, should be secured somewhere.
• There is no telling what the effects of Hurricane Sandy will be but it is important to take every precaution possible.

There is no telling what the effects of Hurricane Sandy will be but it is important to take every precaution possible.