subject: Good Advice For Hurricane Season [print this page] Hurricanes can be relatively mild in strength causing little more than wind damage and/or minor flooding or they can be severely destructive forces producing major property damage and even causing loss of life. Getting ready at the beginning of the season is the best way to insure that you and your family will stay safe. Staying out of harms way during hurricane season requires having the proper information to protect yourself. It means arming yourself with the latest preparedness guides and knowing the evacuation routes and contraflow plans for your area. If you choose to ride out a storm in your home staying safe also means boarding up windows and having the right supplies on hand.
For an already existing building, research what you might be able to do to strengthen it against hurricane damage. Consult an expert to see if shutters should be replaced, hurricane straps should be reinforced, etc. Make sure exactly what your insurance covers and what it does nOt, and get additional insurance if necessary. A homeowners policy, for instance, might cover your house but not the land. A homeowners policy might cover some of the damage but not water-damage specifically. Your insurance policy might specify that it does not cover certain things in your case that it normally would because you are in a "high risk" area. Find all this out before you have a claim, not after. And remember, you may have a waiting period to contend with. Flood insurance typically does not kick in for 30 days, so do not wait to get the policy until a storm has formed and is headed your way.
Immediate preparations for a hurricane. Have an evacuation plan for yourself and your family. Know where you are going and what route you will be taking if the storm requires you to leave. Inform out of the area family and friends where you will be. Make sure to make arrangements for your pets. Do not assume they will be able to stay with you in a shelter. Hurricane Windows can save you money.
6. Have a method of communication. Your house phone line may be knocked out. Unless you are a ham radio operator, you will have to depend on your cell phone. Be sure to have a charger that works in the car in case your house electricity is out. It may be difficult to get calls through due to overloading of the circuits so be patient. 7. Know what danger smells and looks like. If you smell gas in your house, you need to get out and call the gas company or fire department. If there are downed power lines due to trees, do not go near them. You are safer to wait it out in your house. 8. Run up a flag. If you are marooned by flood waters, fly some sort of flag from an upstairs window or from the roof if you have access. Helicopters will be surveying the area.
9. Do not go back until told it is safe to do so. No matter how concerned you are about your property, your most important property is your safety and that of your loved ones. Everyone else is going to be in the same boat, so just wait it out. 10. Re-evaluate after a hurricane. Perhaps you want to move away or at least away from the shoreline. Perhaps your house needs a heavier roof and better shelter for cars. Ideally, mankind should not live in the paths of storms, but when they do, there are many precautions and building techniques they can use to make that choice safer. Hurricanes are terrifying and yet many, many people live in their paths and live to tell about it. By following recommended safety tips, good building practices, and by always remembering that your life is more important than your possessions, you can be one of them.
