As you begin to take in the news about Hurricane Harvey in Texas and Irma, not to mention Jose coming after her, you may find yourself wondering about your little area of the world; Is it safe and can you escape if a big funnel of wind, rain and waves comes after your city? With the proper hurricane preparation, hurricane supplies, and some planning, you can stay safe. It will also help your family to be closer together.
Hurricane Planning
A great hurricane guide and the hurricane kit it recommends will get you through the hurricane. Think about what lies ahead when you are in the path of a hurricane. There will be a fairly wide storm band with winds (depending on category 1, 2, 3, 4 or 5) up to 200 miles per hour. It doesn’t matter where you ‘touch down’, as it’s headed your way, trees may be uprooted, roads may twist, and power lines will begin to fall. This of course makes it dangerous to be on the roads even if you want to get out.
You’ll likely run out of power before you feel the wind and/or rain, so use the time you have to watch TV and listen to the radio about what’s coming up. During this time, the planning you’ll need to do, if you haven’t already, is pretty straightforward:
Gather materials that help you survive for a few days. This will be your ‘Go-Bag’ or hurricane kit and should be prepared ahead of time for when it is needed.
* paper maps the local area from your neighborhood to the safest place you think you can get to is a good idea. This could mean getting to the state line, or at least completely out of the danger zone. Do not rely on the Google Maps app on your cell phone as the signal may not even be there for it to work.
* crank radius to hear news and disaster updates. If you have a good one that runs on batteries, get plenty of batteries now, so you don’t have to go to the store, which will probably be dead when you get there anyway.
* Water for each member of your party. You will need approximately one gallon for each member per day. Pack more if it’s hot and you’ll be doing any kind of strenuous activity to survive. Don’t worry so much about bathing water as this luxury can be overlooked for a couple of days.
* Medicine: Pack all the regular and normal medicines for everyone. Include plenty of antiseptic or sanitary wipes. A full first aid kit should also be packed. A bottle or can of water purification tablets should also be in your bag. You’ll also want to include any really valuable paperwork and/or things looters like to get if you’re not there to protect them.
* A sharp knife, a tarpaulin and sleeping bags. can also be included. Be careful packing guns unless you know the laws in your area and the area you are going to. Do not depend on the authorities looking the other way all the time on this matter.
* Meal: Your hurricane supplies should contain enough food for your family. This should include simple things that don’t need to be heated, as this convenience can be hard to find for a while. Pre-purchased dehydrated foods are ideal.
If you are going to be able to move out of the area in your car or truck the weight may not be an issue, however if you are going to be walking or taking someone else’s transportation the weight will be a big issue and all of the above supplies will need to be divided in a backpack or duffel bag for each member of your group, so plan this carefully.
house preparation
It could help ensure that you have a drier place to return to. All things that the wind can pick up and throw out the windows should be brought inside. This can also prevent raiders from getting them. This includes patio furniture and those cute little gnomes that hang out on the patio that can make nasty torpedoes when launched through the patio door. The barbecue grill in the shed or garage and the tables and chairs must also be brought inside.
Several days before the storm hits, if there are still lumber yards open, get plywood and mount it over at least the large picture windows you have. It won’t matter if your home is destroyed or blown up, but if not, these few steps will help keep things together and less water and damage can enter your home. You could get to the point of putting sandbags at all exterior doors and basement entrances. Many communities offer a large pile of sand in some situations like this. By checking the news, you can find out if it’s available in your area.
Even if you evacuate to a local safety center, set up in a safe area by the city or state, preserving your home will help you get back to work faster after the all-clear signal has sounded.
If the storm is not going to physically hit your home, you may decide to take shelter inside. Follow the instructions above for preparing your home and consider purchasing a generator. This may be necessary because, even if the hurricane passes close to your home or neighborhood, your electrical power is coming from a little further away and you may lose power.
Check list
A quick look at your hurricane preparedness:
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As soon as you hear about the storm, follow its progress on television and radio.
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Start packing your Go-Bag.
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Check for open wood bins and clean out the bin.
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Check the availability of the generator if you are going to stay inside.
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Evacuate if and when you are told to do so, following your plan, and be patient on the roads as there will be many people fighting for you.
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If you go to a local security center, be courteous and know that everyone is having a hard time too.