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Hurricane season begins in June but continues to affect coastal areas all the way through November.
While many people who live in hurricane-prone areas have a plan of action, should they need to evacuate or prepare themselves for a storm, you’d be surprised to learn the number of individuals who are not prepared for such a natural disaster.
In fact, being prepared for a hurricane or tropical storm could be a life or death difference, so it’s important to have a plan.
So, if you’re someone who lives in an area that has the occasional hurricane — or you’re planning to visit a city that does — read on to learn how you should prepare.
This may sound obvious, but put a plan in place with your family ahead of time so that everyone knows what to do, should there be a hurricane.
Figure out disaster routes, what items you would want to take should you only have a few hours to collect them, and what you plan to do with your animals.
Make sure everyone in your family understands these plans pre-hurricane because there’s no guarantee there will be cell-reception once the storm hits.
If you know that a storm is imminent, go to the gas station and make sure your car has a full tank of gas.
Should you need to evacuate at a moment’s notice, you definitely don’t want to have to stop right away to fill up your empty tank.
Get this out of the way ahead of time so you know you’ll be able to drive for at least a couple of hours without needing to stop.
If you live near the beach or any large body of water, be extra precautious when it comes to a hurricane or tropical storm warnings.
In fact, contact a friend or family member who may live in a safer area of town and ask if they can be your emergency shelter, should you need to leave your residence.
Hurricane warnings may feel as if they’re being blown out of proportion, but if you have a place to spend a night or two that is safe and away from rising water, do it.
Not only are you risking extreme flooding, but you’ll more than likely be stuck for a few days if you do decide to stay home.
People who live in areas that face storms every year probably already have storm shutters on their windows, but make sure you have something to put over your windows just in case.
Windows get blown in from storms all the time, and not only do they bring in excess water but they can seriously injure a person.
Not to mention, bring in any outdoor furniture that could get blown into a window or a part of the house.
