CHARLOTTE, N.C. — With the remnants of Tropical Storm Elsa rolling through the Carolinas, now is a good time to put together a plan in the event of more, and more severe, storms later this summer and fall.
Maybe it's human nature, but a lot of us don't really plan for an emergency until we absolutely need to.
Here's a quick list of things to think about now so you're prepared at the moment.
First, check the trees around your house to see if you can prune anything that may cause damage. If you need to hire an expert, get bids and make sure they're bonded and insured. This will be a relief and offer peace of mind going forward.
Second, pull all of your insurance-related documents together. You may want to even review your coverage. Do you need flood insurance? Flood damage is the most common and costly result of a storm.
Third, watch out for pop-up storm-related charity scams. These happen all the time and they're very successful because they take advantage of your good and giving nature. As a reminder, you should only give to charities you know, and remember that GoFundMe pages don't have much, if any, oversight.
Never do wire transfers and never pay in iTunes or any gift cards when asked.
Finally, be on the lookout for flood-damaged cars. There is a shortage of used cars out there, so don't jump too quickly in the months ahead if a deal looks too good to be true. Fogged headlights and electrical issues are common red flags for cars that have been through a flood.
Contact Bill McGinty at bmcginty@wcnc.com and follow him on Facebook.
Wake Up Charlotte To Go is a daily news and weather podcast you can listen to so you can start your day with the team at Wake Up Charlotte.
SUBSCRIBE: Apple Podcasts || Spotify || Stitcher || TuneIn || Google Podcasts
All of WCNC Charlotte's podcasts are free and available for both streaming and download. You can listen now on Android, iPhone, Amazon, and other internet-connected devices. Join us from North Carolina, South Carolina, or on the go anywhere.