One family's plan for hurricane preparedness 



This past spring, seventh- and eighth-grade students at 

 Pamlico Junior High School in Bayboro took Sanders' 

 checklist and developed their own family checklists. As part 

 of a year-long focus at the school on hurricane preparedness, 

 this project had students working with Sanders, their 

 parents, teachers and local emergency management officials. 

 An example of one student's work is listed below. 



Plan for a home on land less than 20 feet above sea level. 



A. Do the following in case of a hurricane watch: 



1. Drive 1.6 miles to Grantsboro. Fill car and truck 

 gas tanks. This takes approximately 12 minutes. 



2. Put two bicycles, one push mower, 13 tomato 

 planters, two ladders, one radio antenna, one 

 wheelbarrow and two sawhorses in garage. Put 

 spare lumber under two-story storage shed. 



3. Move boat and trailer next to two-story shed. 

 Secure boat to trailer and trailer to building sup- 

 ports. Fill boat with water; then put hose in 

 garage. 



4. Get 4' x 5' sheet and 5' x 9' strip of plywood from 

 second floor of shed. Get nails and hammer from 

 garage and board up picture window. Get mask- 

 ing tape from garage and tape 13 small windows 

 in the house, eight in the shed, and five windows 

 in the garage. 



5. Get deeds, insurance and birth certificates from 

 top drawer of the file cabinet in the master 



bedroom. Get car title from bill holder on dining 

 table. Pack all of these in the smallest blue suit- 

 case in the attic. 



6. Pack a survival box. Include flashlight, radio, 

 spare batteries, blankets, rope, fire extinguisher, a 

 change of clothes, desired non-perishable food, 

 fresh water and water purification tablets. (If you 

 have none, they are available at local drug stores.) 



7. Contact neighbors, friends and relatives and tell 

 them of your plans. 



8. Lower radio tower in back yard. 



B. If a hurricane warning is issued, take the following 

 steps immediately: 



1. Raise all appliances up on concrete blocks. In- 

 sulate refrigerator and freezer with blankets. 



2. Shut off main power switch in utility room. 

 Breaker box is next to washing machine. 



3. Go through checklist. Make sure all steps are 

 completed. 



4. Pack survival box and suitcase of important docu- 

 ments in car. Drive 5.4 miles to nearest shelter — 

 Fred A. Anderson School in Bayboro. This takes 8 

 minutes. 



Hubert W. Buck 

 Eighth Grade 



Pamlico Junior High School 

 Bayboro, North Carolina 



Photo by Tommy Baab. The News and Observer 



Pamlico Junior High School students check the contents of a hurricane evacuation survival box 



