How to Prepare for a Hurricane

If you have perused the news at all, you would have seen that Hurricane Joaquin is barreling its way towards the East Coast. Hurricanes cause great panic at least once a year, and thanks to Global Warming they get worse each time. If you see this incoming threat and want to panic, please do not. As long as you have proper hurricane preparedness, everything will be okay. But how do you prepare yourself? Well, luckily the advertising company The Martin Agency developed the website ready.gov for the Department of Homeland Security in 2003 to provide better awareness and preparation for emergencies. With a little help from that website, here are some tips for you to prepare for Joaquin.

Know Your Risk

This one is pretty simple. If you live in an area that frequently attracts hurricanes, make sure you are prepared when one hits. In terms of Joaquin, watch the news, read the newspaper, and stay up to date with the National Weather Service (NWS) to see what the experts believe will happen. Obviously weathermen and women are not always right, as predicting weather patterns is an extremely inexact science. Stay up to date on its projected path. The best way to prepare for anything is having enough information at your disposal to deal with it. You should also familiarize yourself with NWS’ Emergency Notifications, which are:

• Hurricane/Tropical Storm Watch: A hurricane or tropical storm should hit a specific area in about 48 hours.
• Hurricane/Tropical Storm Warning: A hurricane or tropical storm should hit a specific area within 36 hours.
• Extreme Wind Warning: Extreme winds associated with a major hurricane (category 3 or greater) will hit a specific area imminently.
• Evacuation Notice: Residents of a specific area are either suggested or forced to evacuate the area immediately.
• Other Alerts: There are too many types of alerts to cover in one blog post, so be on your toes for many other types of alerts, including flash floods, tornadoes, floods, and more. Most of these alerts are self-explanatory.

Have an Emergency Plan

If it is clear that Joaquin, or any hurricane for that matter, is going to impact your place of residence, know what you will do. If you have to evacuate know your specific evacuation route. If you do not have to evacuate, know how you can secure your belongings to minimize damage and maximize safety. If you have a plan going in you are much more likely to be okay after the storm.

Practice Makes Perfect

It is one thing to be prepared in theory, but run through your plans a few times before you need to use them. Know how to secure all your belongings, drive down your evacuation route, and know where the nearest shelter is.

Store Emergency Supplies

Make sure you have non-perishable foods and essential medications stored somewhere safe. If worst comes to worst and you are without power and stranded for multiple days you have to have some form of nourishment.

Like with most disasters, the work truly begins after the storm has passed. When you step outside or arrive back at your home, first see to any immediate dangers or emergencies. Next it’s important to break out your camera and document any damage internally or externally to your property. The sooner you can do this and get the information off to your insurance provider, the sooner you can start rebuilding or replacing any damages. Looking for the proper hurricane insurance? Talk to H&K Insurance, and we’ll help you prepare your home, car, and business for hurricanes and beyond.