After the record setting by Hurricane Harvey and Hurricane Irma, you shoud always be prepared for the possibility that a hurricane could make landfall in your area.
What to do Before a Hurricane Hits
Some of the things that one should do to prepare include putting together an evacuation kit that includes the following:
1) Must Have Electronic Items
- Two dozen 12 hour candles.
- One flashlight for every member of the family.
- 4 sets of batteries (at least) for every member of the family.
- A battery operated NOAA radio.
This is a nationwide network of radio stations broadcasting continuous weather information directly from the nearest National Weather Service office. - One cell phone for every member of the family
2) Must Have Sanitary, Foods & 1st Aid Kit
- Sanitary supplies,
- Pencils & notepads,
- Food such as drinks, juices, nuts, dried beans, rice, pasta, soups, peanut butter, crackers, canned foods,
- One gallon of water per day per person,
- First aid kit and handbook, prescription medicines, aspirin.
3) Blankets, Cooking Items
- Wool blankets, (Warm when wet).
- Paper towels, cloth bath towels, blankets, change of clothes, foul weather gear, Sterno stove and fuel, matches, pocket knife, cooking utensils, cooking pot, disposable dishes, silverware, and aluminum foil, plastic garbage bags, money, and all of your important documents in waterproof plastic bags or containers.
4) Pets
- If you have pets, make sure that you have things prepared for your pets. Identify shelters, gather pet supplies, and make sure that your pet has proper ID and up to date veterinarian records.
5) Basic Instructions
Inform family members of these basic instructions;
- If anyone was to get lost. contact mom or dad on their cell phone or beeper.
- If you cannot contact them immediately when you are lost, trying to contact them again every three hours.
- Plan a map of at least five or six alternate public shelters if it's necessary to evacuate the home. Again, plan a evacuation map allowing for a variety of unforeseen circumstances such as a downed tree blocking the only road to it.
Let friends and family know whether you intend to evacuate or not and if you are evacuating let them know where you will be. This is one of the biggest problems after a hurricane. People are counted as lost as they have not let anyone know where they are.
If you are intend to stay put;
Use permanent storm shutters with a secondary option of using marine grade 5/8' plywood cut to fit your windows. Take photos or video of your property from all angles so that you will have something to back up your case with the insurance company. See below for more hurricane help.
