Top 10 Tips for spring storm preparation

1. Find your safest place to wait out a storm.

If you don’t have a basement or storm shelter, choose a small room without windows such as a bathroom or central closet. Discuss this location with everyone in your family.

2. Create a storm emergency kit. In a waterproof container, place flashlights, a battery-powered radio, extra batteries, blankets, a first-aid kit, non-perishable food and a large container of drinking water.

3. Invest in a generator. If your power goes out, a home generator can restore electricity safely in as little as 10 seconds.

4. Survey trees for weak branches. Remove loose tree limbs to keep them from falling on your home or car during a storm.

5.Buy a NOAA Weather Radio. Available online or from electronics stores, weather radios broadcast warnings, watches and other weather information from the nearest National Weather Service office 24 hours a day, even when the TV or other radios are turned off.

6. Put aside some emergency cash. If the power is out, ATMs and credit cards can’t be used.

7. Secure artwork and other loose items. Use v-hooks instead of nails to mount paintings, which will allow artwork to shift without falling off the wall.

8. Clear your yard. Keep bikes, shovels and other items in the garage so they aren’t flung around by windstorms.

9. Document your home’s contents. Walk through every room of your home to prepare a list of possessions, taking photos and videos, to help with insurance claims later.

10. Check your insurance policies. Make sure your home and auto policies provide adequate coverage for wind and hail storms.