Living in the beautiful Sunshine State of Florida comes a seasonal threat that every Floridian must take seriously: hurricanes.
Hurricanes are an inevitable part of life in Florida, and they bring with them the potential for devastating consequences and significant risks to both property and lives. As Hurricane season is approaching here is some valuable information to prepare and protect your home and family.
Stay Informed:
- Sign up for weather alerts and notifications from trusted sources like the National Hurricane Center, local news stations, and emergency management agencies.
- Familiarize yourself with hurricane terminology and understand the difference between watches, warnings, and advisories.
- Follow updates on storm tracks, intensity, and potential impacts to your area, and heed evacuation orders or other instructions from local authorities.
2. Develop a Hurricane Preparedness Plan:
- Create a family emergency plan that includes evacuation routes, designated meeting points, and contact information for family members and emergency contacts.
- Prepare an emergency kit with essential supplies, including non-perishable food, water, medications, flashlights, batteries, first aid supplies, cash, important documents, and pet supplies.
- Review your insurance policies to ensure adequate coverage for windstorm and flood damage and keep copies of important documents in a waterproof container or digital format.
3. Secure Your Home:
- Inspect your home for vulnerabilities and make necessary repairs or improvements to strengthen it against hurricane winds and flying debris.
- Install hurricane shutters or impact-resistant windows and doors to protect openings from wind damage.
- Trim trees and shrubs, clear gutters and drains, and secure outdoor furniture, decorations, and loose items that could become projectiles in high winds.
4. Evacuation and Sheltering:
- Know your evacuation zone and plan evacuation routes in advance. Follow evacuation orders issued by local authorities and leave early to avoid traffic congestion and potential hazards.
- Identify nearby hurricane shelters and familiarize yourself with their locations, capacity, and pet policies. Bring essential supplies and bedding if you plan to stay in a shelter.
5. After the Storm:
- Wait for official clearance from local authorities before returning home and use caution when inspecting your property for damage.
- Document any damage to your home and belongings with photographs or videos for insurance claims purposes.
- Be prepared for power outages, limited access to services, and potential hazards such as downed power lines, flooding, and debris.
Additional resources for hurricane preparedness season:
- Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA): FEMA - Ready.gov
- National Hurricane Center (NHC): National Hurricane Center
- Florida Division of Emergency Management: Florida Division of Emergency Management
- American Red Cross: American Red Cross
- FloridaDisaster.org: FloridaDisaster.org
- Local Emergency Management Agencies
Don't keep this life-saving information to yourself! Share this blog post on hurricane preparedness with your family, friends and community and help empower others to stay safe and informed during hurricane season.