We Had Our First Nor'Easter on Long Island. Here's What I Told My Clients.

We certainly had enough warning.

For days before the nor’easter, the news on Long Island was filled with stories about when it was going to start, the possible amount of flooding, the amount of rain we were going to get, and the very high winds. Having gone through Superstorm Sandy, I knew firsthand the damage that could be brought about by this kind of storm, and I was concerned for my clients and honestly, concerned for myself as well.

With all the time we had to get ready, we had the ability to do the things we knew we had to do. Things like making certain our generator was working, checking the batteries for flashlights and any battery-powered radios, making sure we had our battery packs and chargers ready and our phones charged to the max, and bringing in lawn furniture and securing plants or anything else that could fly around.

I hoped my clients had been listening as well, because there is nothing worse than waking up to a scene of devastation at your house. Living on Long Island myself and near the water too, I knew this firsthand.

So, in order to make certain that you can remain as unscathed as possible by a storm like the Nor'Easter we had several weekends ago, I would suggest my fellow Long Islanders, and anyone else reading this, remember to do the things that I did that day.

1. Make certain your generator is ready to go. Many people bought generators after Superstorm Sandy and just let them sit there. Many people don’t even know if theirs works.

2. Make sure you have batteries, flashlights, candles, and anything else that could help you in case there is a power outage. Don’t wait until the lights go out to discover that your flashlight batteries are dead.

3. Make sure your phones are fully charged and keep them charged throughout the storm. Charge your battery packs too. If you lose power, you want to have as much backup as possible.

4. Secure everything outside. Look around your backyard, deck, and the front of your house. Planters, chairs, tables, and anything else that could be lifted up in a gust of wind should be brought inside or secured. Make certain all the windows are closed in your house. Go around to all of your rooms, check the basement, and perhaps look at your attic too. Make sure every window is tightly closed.

5. If your house is prone to flooding, get things off the floors. Make sure everything in your basement that could be damaged is elevated, and if you have a second floor, move any valuable things to that part of the house.

6. Stay put. This isn’t the time to take to the roads. If a storm is coming, get where you need to be and stay there. If the rain is coming down very hard, visibility can be tough, and many Long Island roads are prone to flooding.

7. Make sure you have enough food in the house. Have food on-hand that doesn’t have to be in a refrigerator or freezer. Think about items that need little or no preparation and that you could eat very simply. Cans of tuna fish, for instance, a loaf of bread, and other things that will hold you for some hours or a day if a storm impacts your power. You can’t necessarily count on the local restaurants to be open or delivery available. They are dealing with the very same situation as you are.

8. If you have children in the house, have some games or activities ready. Gather things you know will keep the kids engaged, happy, and not concerned with the outside storm. Children can get scared, especially if there is a tremendous amount of wind, and you can pass the hours much more easily if you're playing a game.

As I said, for most people, the storm was much less severe than was predicted. That doesn’t discount the people who did have some damage, but overall, this nor-Easter was no Superstorm Sandy.

We don’t know what looms ahead for the upcoming months, and this was a very early nor’easter here on Long Island. Being prepared doesn’t mean being alarmed. It means doing what you can before the storm arrives so that if things do get bad, you’re ready.

Stay safe, neighbors.

Christina Shaw = Insurance Agent + Wantagh + Long Island + New York