subject: Hurricane Season And Home Security: The Best Preparations [print this page] Sometimes, taking care of a house is about making sure that it's tough for robbers to get in. But other times, it's more about making sure that everything is going to be primed and ready for something a bit more difficult to deal with than someone deciding to make off with a few possessions. For countless Americans who are used to braving hurricane season, the kind of home security preparations that come along with a fast-moving storm are more commonplace than stressing out about people breaking in on a regular basis.
With particularly hot summers leading to even heavier hurricane seasons in years past, it's possible for Americans all up and down the eastern seaboard to suddenly be in the path of the storm. And even those who have assumed that last-minute currents will push storms back out to sea should get used to making the right preparations, as scientists have been insisting that everywhere from Jacksonville to New York should be worrying about big storms coming ashore. Of course, following simple directions is the best way to make sure that homeowners aren't stuck in the wrong place at the wrong time, but there are other matters to consider, too.
When it comes to personal safety, home security takes second place to keeping all members of a family alive and breathing. In those instances where mandatory evacuations are ordered, there should be absolutely no fooling around. Not only is it illegal to not evacuate if ordered to, it is also incredibly dangerous. So instead of stressing out about whether or not a house is going to be safe from looters when a category 5 storm has a town in its sights, decide to leave as quickly as possible. Making sure that all valuables--precious photo albums, birth certificates, etc--are kept stored together is a simple way to make a quick evacuation a whole lot easier.
Of course, there are also matters of personal safety and home security for those who can ride out a storm. Be sure to immediately bring inside all lawn furniture, as heavy winds can turn an innocent rocking chair into something that crashes right through the windows, causing harm. Likewise, move cars out of harm's way, so that when the storm clears, there is still a safe way to get away from the house. Being sure to move the entire family to an interior room of the house, like a basement, bathroom, or even a doorframe, is the best way to ride out any heavy winds and storms that might be on their way. Getting as far away from glass as possible is also an excellent choice.
With a little bit of preparation, there's no need to worry too much when it's hurricane season. More often than not, one's home security is going to come down to making sure there is a hurricane kit with batteries and a battery-powered radio for listening to news and weather updates while the power goes out. In most cases, there is not going to be a great deal of destruction, but after all, it makes a whole lot more sense to be prepared, rather than irresponsible.
