Hurricane Safety Tips

By Antonia James, an eHow
Contributing Writer
Hurricane damage in Sebastian,
Florida 2004
Thanks to technology,
meteorologists have the tools to
inform the public when a hurricane
is coming. Proper disaster
preparation will prevent damage to
both people and property, and
heeding hurricane safety tips will
lessen the chances of injury before,
during and after the storm. Stay
informed, and take the storm
seriously.
1. Supplies
Shop for food and water at
the beginning of hurricane
season to avoid a crowds
and low supermarket stock.
According to the National
Hurricane Center, you
should store enough food
and water to sustain your
family for three to seven
days. Hurricanes have the
ability to disrupt power
and other utility services.
Buy canned, non-perishable
foods that can be eaten
without having to be
cooked. Be sure to have a
hand-operated can opener
so you can get the cans
open in the event of power
failure. Have enough
bottled water for each
family member. The
recommended allotment is
one gallon of water per day
for each person in the
household. Pack a first aid
kid. Keep bandages and
antibiotic cream on hand
for minor injuries. Stock up
on a seven-day supply of
prescription medicines in
case you cannot access a
pharmacy after the storm.
2. Communication
Purchase safety and
communication devices
that run on batteries. Be
sure to have enough
batteries on hand for each
device. Listen to a weather
radio for emergency
messages, important
community information
and hurricane updates. A
flashlight will help you
maneuver in the dark if the
storm hits in the evening or
if the power is out for a few
days. Connect a telephone
with a cord to a phone jack
in the house. This type of
phone does not need
electricity to operate.
Charge cell phones prior to
the hurricane and use them
sparingly once the storm
begins to prolong battery
life.
3. Family Plan
Discuss an emergency
hurricane safety plan. Set
up a room in the home as a
designated safe room in
the event of escalating
wind. Evacuate if told to do
so. Do not stay in your
location if you are warned
that it is not safe. Pay
attention to community
messages regarding
evacuation routes and
shelters. If you have pets,
locate pet friendly shelters
in your area in case you
need to leave your home.
Fill up the gas tank in the
car to make sure that you
have enough fuel to drive
to another location if
necessary. Do this several
days before the storm. Do
not wait until the day of the
hurricane, as it is possible
that gas stations could run
out of fuel due to high
demand. Have cash on
hand, preferably smaller
bills. In days following the
hurricane, lack of electricity
may make cash machines
and credit card scanners
inaccessible.
4. Property
Board windows with
plywood or hurricane
shutters to prevent flying
glass. Placing sandbags
around the perimeter of
your home will decrease
the chances of water
getting into the house in
the event of flooding. Trim
trees and store patio
furniture to avoid damage
to both people and
property from falling
branches and windblown
objects.
Tips & Warnings
References
National Hurricane Center
HurricaneSafety.org