How To Prepare for a Hurricane
You Can’t Control a Hurricane, But You Can Prepare For It While blue skies, sunshine, beaches and wonderful our summer
You Can’t Control a Hurricane, But You Can Prepare For It While blue skies, sunshine, beaches and wonderful our summer
While blue skies, sunshine, beaches and wonderful our summer time feel, all year round, make Florida the most vacationed state in America and one of the most comfortable states to live in, it does have a draw back – hurricanes.
While most tropical storms and hurricane’s don’t hit Florida’s West Coast dead on, we still see heavy winds and rain as a result. And in those rare occasions that they do hit, such as 2017’s hurricane Irma, the best thing we can be is prepared.
Being Florida residents, we know how important it is to be fully prepared for powerful storms and hurricane’s. Here are some of our tips that can help you be as prepared as possible.
Come hurricane season, many Floridan’s start preparing by ensuring they have basic supplies should a hurricane hit. Strong storms and hurricane’s can leave you without basic necessities that you generally don’t need to worry about, such as water, electricity and sometimes even cellular service.
Due to shortages, trying to procure basic elements such as water and food immediately after a strong storm or hurricane can be challenging due to the demand.
So it’s best to be prepared. Here are some things we suggest you stock up on prior to a hurricane or storm. When stocking up, try to be as prepared as possible. If you feel you will need any items that you do not see on this list, ensure to get it.
With safety in mind, cut any weak or hanging tree branches near your house that may break and create damage during strong winds.
If you do not have hurricane proof windows, install storm shutters. If you do not have storm shutters, board up your windows with exterior grade plywood. Minimally, apply a large X with duct tape on any window or sliding door to prevent it from shattering.
Anchor down or remove any outside furniture or items that can be picked up and tossed around by the wind. Hurricane winds can be very strong so it’s best to anchor down or remove any patio furniture, benches, and anything that may be picked up by very strong winds.
Fix any leaky windows or doors.
Just prior to the hurricane, unplug any electrical equipment and put any electrical plugs above ground so they do not get wet in case of a flood.
If you’re in a flood zone, see if you can get a pump or sand bags to protect any possible flood zones.
In 2017 when hurricane Irma hit Florida, some cities saw power outages that lasted up to 14 days.
Some buildings are required to have generators, such as hospitals and other facilities. But home owners and small business owners can also purchase and install generators to keep electricity and air conditioning going after a storm or hurricane.
Natural Gas generators are generally more dependable then diesel generators but either way, ensure to test the generator prior to the bad weather arriving.
Many solar power systems also have battery back ups. Not all solar power systems have batteries, meaning if the power grid goes down, you loose power too. Ensuring you have battery back ups connected to your solar power system will ensure you do not loose power. If your solar system does not have batteries, Energy Professionals can help you get these installed.
All insurance policies are different. Prior to a hurricane, review your insurance policy to see exactly what it covers and ensure you are registered with FEMA. As insurance companies generally don’t update or write new policies right before a big storm or hurricane is predicted to hit, so ensure you review these as soon as possible.
Take an inventory of your entire property and take pictures of all your valuable items and their receipts if you have them.
Take pictures of any valuable documents and ensure all your valuable documents are stored in water safe packaging just in case.
Where necessary, local authorities will call for an evacuation. If an evacuation is called, it is important that you follow instructions and not try and stay in your home.
If you do not have a planned evacuation route, contact local authorities ahead of time to find a shelter or official evacuation area / location. Practice getting there quickly and safely.
If you have an evacuation plan, ensure this is organized ahead of time and practice getting there quickly and safely.
While modern weather technology helps us predict where a hurricane will hit and how strong it will be, nature is never 100% predictable. A category 2 hurricane can turn into a category 5 within hours. Before the storm or hurricane and just before it hits, watch local news and ensure to track it so you stay tuned of the latest developments.
If an evacuation is called for, listen to local authorities.
There are many things you can do to ensure you are prepared. Above are some tips, there may be more. The most important thing is that you prepare for any eventual circumstance ahead of time. Emergencies only happen when you are not prepared. Prior to, during or after a hurricane, your safety, the safety of your family and those around you is the most important thing.
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