By Jaimi Erickson
Veteran Military Spouse

As a military family, we’ve lived through earthquakes on both US coasts, hurricanes in North and South Carolina, and extended power outages at duty stations in California, Virginia, and the Carolinas. These experiences shaped our understanding of how to prepare for natural disasters, no matter where the military sends us. I’ve even written a series on storm preparation and natural disaster readiness, and I hope the lessons I’ve learned can help you prepare for whatever storms you may face.

For instance, when we recently moved to the upstate region of South Carolina, we thought we had moved to an area safe from extreme weather. Aside from the blazing heat and humidity in the summer, nothing unusual was on our radar. However, just a few weeks after moving into our forever home, Hurricane Helene hit. Helene devastated many local communities, causing massive tree damage, electrical outages that lasted nearly two weeks, and flooding. Our power was out for ten days, and our basement flooded — not exactly the welcome we’d expected as we settled into our new home.

Although our family was caught off guard, we weathered the storm reasonably well. It wasn’t easy to use our kitchen to cook or to sit in darkness every evening, but we had faced unusual natural disasters before. Military life had already taught us valuable storm preparedness essentials from experiences we never anticipated.

Essential Items When the Power Is Out

Our experience with Hurricane Helene taught us the importance of having certain tools and supplies on hand. Here are a few essentials that helped us weather the storm:

Dehydrated Meals. Dehydrated meals such as the packaged meals from Ready Hour became our staples. When stores were closed due to power outages, these meals sustained us. All we needed was boiling water to prepare a warm dinner. Keep a box or two on hand for emergencies.

Gas Cooking Stove or Grill. A gas burner and grill were lifesavers. They allowed us to make coffee and hot meals even when the electricity was out. The flexibility to cook outdoors provided a sense of normalcy during a chaotic time.

Battery-Powered Lighting. Portable puck lights were invaluable for task lighting. We used them in bathrooms and the kitchen, and they doubled as reading lights. Rechargeable lanterns also provided reliable, safe illumination, especially with children and pets in the house.

Important Documents. Keep household documents stored electronically and maintain paper copies in a readily accessible household binder. These can be crucial if you need to evacuate quickly. AAFMAA provides an important Member benefit, a free Digital Vault to protect essential documents and ensure they are accessible online 24/7. ensure they are accessible online 24/7.

It's All About Preparation

Preparation is the key to managing natural disasters, especially when facing unpredictable or new duty station locations. Start by stocking up on essentials (see list above) and maintaining them for future use. Then secure your important documents and familiarize yourself with the types of emergencies that may occur in your area, as well as available resources in the community that may be able to assist you when an incident occurs.

Part of your preparedness is ensuring your life insurance policies are right-sized for you and your family’s needs — and that your finances are secure enough to handle what’s ahead. If you need assistance in determining how to protect yourself and your family from unexpected events, call an AAFMAA Member Benefits Representative at 877-398-2263 or email [email protected] to discuss your coverage options. to discuss your coverage options.

While you can’t predict how storms will affect your home, you can set your family up for success. With the right tools and a solid plan, you’ll be ready to handle whatever nature throws your way.