With Hurricane Earl and Tropical Storm Fiona looming closer to the East Coast and last Sunday marking the fifth anniversary of Hurricane Katrina, hurricane preparedness is at the forefront of many people’s minds this week. Here are some basic steps you can take to best ready you and your family for a hurricane.
1) Prepare early. Make sure you have a full tank of gas, a battery-powered radio, batteries, prescription medications, flashlight, first-aid kit, bottled water, non-perishable food, change of clothes and bedding.
2) Know the difference between a hurricane watch and a hurricane warning. A hurricane watch indicates the possibility of hurricane conditions within 48 hours. A hurricane warning indicates hurricane conditions are expected within 36 hours.
3) Research your community’s emergency plans, evacuation routes and emergency shelters.
If a hurricane watch or warning is declared:
1) Cover windows with shutters or plywood and secure items outside.
2) Make sure you have an additional emergency kit with the items listed above in your car.
3) Fill containers with clean water and fill sinks and bathtubs as an extra supply for washing – often water supplies are contaminated after floods, hurricanes or heavy storms.
4) Adjust the thermostat on your fridge and freezer to its coolest setting.
5) Listen to a TV or radio (battery operated if you have lost power) for official instructions on whether to evacuate or shelter-in-place.
For more information, including tips on evacuating, sheltering-in-place and what to do after a hurricane, download the Preparis Hurricane Checklist. You can also learn more about the 2010 hurricane season in this Preparis webinar, featuring our X-Force experts at The Weather Channel.
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