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Hurricanes can be a scary experience. These strong storms that can cause serious property-threatening hazards such as storm surge, high winds, flooding and tornadoes. Being prepared for these storms is an essential part of life in Florida and plays an important role in the safety of you and your family.

In this blog post, we’ll talk about some hurricane preparedness tips that can help you feel more prepared in case of a hurricane.

Basic Preparedness Tips

Know where to go. Make sure you know the local hurricane evacuation route if you are ordered to evacuate. If you aren’t sure, you can contact your local emergency management agency for more information.

Have a disaster supply kit handy. This kit should have a flashlight, batteries, first aid supplies, and copies of your critical information if you are ordered to evacuate.

Have adequate supplies. If you aren’t in an area that is advised to evacuate, make sure you have enough supplies in your home in case you lose power and water for several days. You also might not be able to leave you house due to flooding or blocked roads.

Create a family communication plan. Your family may not be together when a hurricane strikes, so it’s important to have a plan in place. Here’s some ideas for your plan:

  • Make sure everyone knows how to receive emergency alerts and warnings.
  • Discuss where to go in case of a hurricane.
  • Decide on a safe, familiar place where your family can meet.
  • Create hard copies of the contact information for your family.

Alerts and notifications. Many communities have text or email alerting systems for emergency notifications. To find out how to receive these alerts, search the Internet with the word “alerts” and your town, city, or county.

Preparing Your Home

Hurricanes can cause significant damage to your home or property. Some precautions can be taken to help prevent damage.

Trim or remove damaged trees. Hurricane winds can cause trees and branches to break or fall. Trimming or removing damaged or weak trees can help keep you and your property safe.

Secure and clear rain gutters. Hurricanes typically bring a lot of water. Securing and clearing the rain gutters and downspouts on your home will help to prevent water damage to your property.

Retrofitting. Retrofitting to secure and reinforce the roof, windows and doors, including garage doors, on your home can help to reduce property damage as the strong winds from the hurricane come through.

Have a generator. Purchase a portable generator for your basic electric needs, or if you prefer to keep most of your comforts of home purchase a whole house generator for use during power outages short or long.

In either case, be sure to call All American Air & Electric, a full licensed and insured electrical contractor, to properly install it and totally instruct you on the proper safety and usage.

Look over your home and yard, and secure or bring inside anything that might be loose or could easily be moved with the winds from a hurricane.

Hurricane Watch vs. Hurricane Warning

When a hurricane is close to an area, the National Weather Service issues hurricane watches and warnings so that people in the area can prepare.

A hurricane watch means that hurricane conditions are possible within the next 48 hours. Once a hurricane watch is issued, you should review your evacuation route and listen to local officials. You should also review the items in your disaster supply kit and add any necessary items to meet your household needs (i.e. children, parents, or pets).

A hurricane warning means that hurricane conditions are expected within 36 hours. You should follow any evacuation orders from local officials during this time. It’s also a good idea to check-in with family and friends during this time.

Taking the necessary steps to prepare for a hurricane in advance can be very helpful. If you haven’t already, take the time now to make you and your family more prepared for the hurricane. You’ll be glad you did.

We’ve helped homeowners protect the people and possessions they love for over 30 years. Rely on our experience when you need assistance instating safeguards.