Your ability to anticipate an upcoming hurricane is extremely important and is something that you should prepare for. How well you prepare could be the difference between staying afloat, leading a pathway to eventual recovery, and financial ruin.
Preparing the outside of your home is essential to minimizing any potential damage caused by the hurricane. If a hurricane is in your area, you should do the following:
- Trim you trees or remove trees that appear sickly or diseased. They are less likely to be able to withstand high wind speeds.
- Store all of your outdoor furniture in a dry, enclosed space.
- Use permanent shutters to protect your windows.
- Have a substantial supply of plywood and nails on hand, so you’re able to board up your home if you need to. If you wait until the last minute to do this, you may be subject to inflated prices. As more and more people run to the store for these supplies, a shortage may occur. As a result, prices will go up.
- Have you talked to your insurance agent about flood insurance? Typical homeowners insurance policies exclude flooding caused by a hurricane.
- Have an emergency communication plan in place. If you’re ever separated from other members of your family, they will be able to get in contact with you.
It’s a good idea to put together a survival kit in case of emergencies. The following items should be in your survival kit:
- Water
- Non-perishable food
- Medications for yourself, your family, and your pets
- A portable radio
- Flashlights
- Spare batteries
- Battery chargers for your cell phones
- Any other chargers for other electronic devices you may own i.e. an Apple Watch, laptop
Hurricane Watch
During a Hurricane Watch, you should do the following:
- You should make sure your car’s fuel tank is full in case an evacuation order for your area is given.
- If you own a boat, use rope or a chain to secure it to a trailer.
- Use tie downs to anchor your trailer to the ground or to your house.
- Any valuable items like jewelry or personal papers should be stored in a waterproof container.Hurricanes can be extremely dangerous. It’s important to take the proper precautions to ensure the safety of yourself and others.