When Do We Spring Forward Into Daylight Saving Time 2015?

Daylight Saving Time begins on Sunday.

So change the clocks that don’t change themselves (remember your car).

Change the batteries on your smoke detectors. This should have become a semi-annual habit by now!

And while you’re doing that, Rockland health officials want you to take a minute to check your emergency supply kit. Is it missing any items? Is anything out-of-date, leaking or damaged?

“Natural events, like floods, or man-made events, like terrorist attacks, can happen with little or no warning—that’s why having an emergency supply kit is so important,” said Dr. Patricia Schnabel Ruppert, Rockland County Commissioner of Health.

If you haven’t got an emergency supply kit, it’ll take more than a minute, but it’s worth it. Case in point: Sandy, Irene.

Here’s what Schnabel thinks it should contain:

• Have at least a three-day supply of food and water stored in your home, with at least one gallon of water per person per day. Choose foods that don’t need to be refrigerated or cooked such as peanut butter and ready-to-eat canned meats, fruits and vegetables.
• Remember your pets! They need their own food and water.
• Your emergency supply kit should also contain flashlights, a hand-operated can opener, a radio, batteries, and copies of important documents. Depending on your family’s needs, you may also need other supplies, such as contact lens solution or diapers.
• If it costs too much for you to buy everything at once, pick up one or two items every time you go to the grocery store. Stock up on canned vegetables or batteries when there is a sale. Bulk “club” stores can also help you save money on your supplies, especially if you split a case with a friend, co-worker or neighbor, who can serve as your “preparedness buddy.”
• Once you’ve gotten your emergency supply kit together, put it where you won’t be tempted to “borrow” from it the next time you run out of batteries or need beans for a recipe. Remember: your emergency supply kit is for emergencies!