PEORIA, Ill. — Ameren Illinois recommended proactively assembling an emergency kit stocked with essential items and supplies in the event of extreme or severe weather events.
Consider including the following items in your emergency kit:
o Water bottles
o Non-perishable food items
o First-aid kit
o Medicines
o Sleeping bag/blanket
o Flashlights/lanterns
o Cash (small bills and change)
o Batteries
o Battery-powered radio
o Battery-powered alarm clock
o Ice cooler for temporary food or medication storage
o List of emergency contacts
o Copies of essential documents
In addition to keeping the emergency kit organized, it’s a good idea to store the kit in a handy place known to everyone in the household.
Emergency kits should also be checked at least every six months.
A good habit is to restock and refresh the contents when adjusting the time on clocks and replacing batteries in smoke
detectors for Daylight Savings.
Other home preparedness tips:
o Fill the gas tank in your vehicle
o Prepare your home generator by filling it with gas and purchasing additional gas
o Charging your cellphone and other important electronic devices
o Turn down the temperature on your refrigerator to keep it as cool as possible
o Ensure the refrigerator and freezer are closed, as frozen food can keep up to 48 hours
o Turn off or unplug sensitive electronic devices, or make sure they are protected by a surge protector
