Top 10 List of Things to Do Before a Storm
Planning is the key to being preprared when a hurricane is headed your way. Below is a list of things to consider prior to hurricane season or well in advance of an oncoming storm.
Top 10 Things to Do NOW! |
- Make a family disaster plan. If you need help formulating a plan, contact your local emergency management office, local chapter of the American Red Cross, or search on line for plan templates.
- Refer to your local hurricane evacuation map. Know your evacuation zone and plan your routes.
- Decide where you would go if ordered to evacuate.
- Check your Disaster Supply Kit and obtain items that need to be replenished or replaced.
- Make plans and purchase materials, such as storm shutters and plywood, to protect your home before a storm.
- Keep your home in good repair. Repair or replace any loose roofing or siding. Keep trees trimmed and gutters clean.
- Purchase a battery-powered weather alert radio. Keep a non-electric land line phone on hand in case electrical power is out and phone lines are still operating. Remember, cordless phones do not work when the power is out.
- Inventory your property and possessions on paper and make a video survey of your property. Store with your insurance policy and other important papers. Also, send a copy of your inventory to a friend or relative.
- Make sure your street address number is clearly marked on your home, not just on your mailbox.
- Review your insurance policies with your agent.
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Planning for Loved Ones and Pets
Home Healthcare and Homebound Patients
- If you evacuate, remember to take your medications, written instructions regarding your care, and special equipment and bedding with you.
- Tell your health care agency and oxygen company where you will be during a hurricane.
- If you are homebound and under the care of a physician, but not a home health agency, contact your physician.
- If you require respirators or other electric equipment, register with your local power company.
- If you will require assistance is an evacuation or if you need to go to a special needs shelter, register now with your county Emergency Management Office.
- Special needs shelters do not provide hands-on medical care, only medical monitoring. Bring one caregiver to the shelter with you.
- If you require hospitalization, you must make arrangements through your physician.
- Remember: Hospitals are NOT shelters and, during disasters such as hurricanes, a limited number of resources are available
Plan for Your Pets
Don't leave your pet behind and don't use yor pet as an excuse not to evacuate. Plan for your pet. Don't put yourself, your family, or your pets at risk!
If you are ordered to evacuate, take your Pet Survival Kit with you if are going to stays with friends or relatives, or a hotel. Most shleters,
unless otherwise designated as pet-friendly, cannot accept pets.
Organizations that may be able to help you plan for your pet's safety
during a storm include your local Animal Control, the SPCA, and the Humane Society.
 If you plan to go to a hotel or motel, visit www.petswelcome.com to find pet-friendly lodging.
Pet Survival Kit |
- Proper ID collar and rabies tag/license
- Vaccination paperwork
- Leash
- Pet carrier or cage
- Ample food supply for minimum of two weeks
- Water
- Water and food bowls
- Any necessary medications
- Specific care instructions
- Cat litter, scoop, plastic bags, and newspaper for handling waste
- Proper ID on all belongings
- Photo of you and your pet
- A confort item such as a favorite toy or blanket
- Non-electric can opener
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Develop a Family Plan
Sit down with your family and make a plan for keeping safe during a storm. The top 10 things to write down as part of your family's emergency plan are listed below.
Write Your Own Family Plan |
- Write down which evacuation zone you live in
- When you evacuate you will go to a: Shelter, Friend, Relative, or Hotel; write down the name, address, phone and email address.
- Out of state contact to notify when we evacuate; write down their name, address, phone and email address.
- Employer awareness of your family plan and employer has emergency contact information on file.
- Life support equipment list, if necessary.
- Special needs shelter name, address and phone, if necessary.
- List of important documents to take or secure.
- Valuable property, keepsakes, and photographs properly secured.
- Pet preparations made if you evacuate or you stay.
- Preventative measures to safeguard your home: window protection, address clearly marked on house, hurricane resistant garage door, roof reinforced, generator and fuel, identified safe room, Disaster Supply Kit prepared
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Evacuate or Stay?
If You Can Stay Home
If you live outside the evacuation zone in a sound structure (not a mobile home), you should stay home. Here's a list of precautions you can take:
- Make sure windows, doors and garage doors are protected.
- Clean containers to hold water, including your bathtubs. Plan on three gallons of water per person, per day for at least 7 days.
- Offer your home to friends or neighbors who live in vulnerable areas or mobile homes.
- Check your Disaster Supply Kit. Make sure you have a seven day supply of non-perishable foods. Make sure you have a non-electric can opener.
- During the storm, stay inside and away from windows, glass doors and skylights.
- Make sure you have identified your safe room. Your safe room should be a windowless reinforced room such as a closet or bathroom on the lower floor.
- Wait for the offical word that the danger has passed. Do not be fooled by the storm's calm eye.
- If flooding threatens your home, turn off the electricity at the main breaker.
- If you lose power, turn off all major applicances, such as the air conditioner and water heater to reduce surge damage when the power is restored.
- Monitor your battery-powered radio, NOAA weather radio or TV for the latest advisories and other emergency information.
- Do not travel until you are told it is safe to do so.
If You Must Evacuate
If you live in an evacuation area or a mobile home, when an evacuation order is given, do not panic. Leave enough time to get where you will weather the storm. Do not take chances with your life by staying at home or waiting until the weather turns bad.
- Make sure your destination is not within a zone that has been ordered to evacuate.
- Take enough supplies for your family.
- Take your pets. Don't forget their supplies.
- Take important papers, including special medical information, insurance policies and number and property inventories.
- Take irreplaceable items such as keepsakes and photos.
- Let friends and relatives know where you are going.
- Turn off your electricity at the main breaker. In addition, if local officals tell you to do so, turn off your water and gas.
- Lock all doors and windows.
- Stay tuned to local radio and television broadcasts for emergency information.
- Make sure your neighbors have a safe ride.
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