Are you ready for hurricane season?

  • Published
  • By Public Affairs
  • 624th Reional Support Group

Hurricane season is less than a month away, starting June 1. Are you ready?

With COVID-19 shutting everything down, now more than ever it's time to be proactive. It's important to remember that planning and preparing in advance of a hurricane can make a difference in how you cope before, during and after the storm.

Some preparedness tips include:

Know your hurricane evacuation area. Will you be required to evacuate? If so, make an emergency plan that everyone in your family knows and understands. If someone in your household has a disability be aware of any additional help that you may need.

Stock emergency supplies. These supplies should include enough for your entire household, from medications, disinfectants, face coverings, and pet supplies. Keep them in a go bag or trunk.

Recognize warning and alerts. Receive real-time alerts from the National Weather Service and from your local community.

Review and gather important documents. Make sure you have copies of your insurance policies, personal documents, such as identification cards, social security card, medical, and any other important paperwork. Keep a copy on a password protected digital space also, in the event you cannot access your paper copies.

Prepare your home. This can include boarding windows, readying hurricane shutters, clean drains, gutters and yard. Store any outside furniture to prevent items from becoming airborne debris. Make sure you charge electronics in case of power outages and have a backup power ready.

During this time some tips of surviving during and after the storm include:

Know whether you have to evacuate or can stay home.

If evacuated. Know the local evacuation routes, emergency shelter locations, and let someone know your plans. Don’t return to the area until the local authorities deem it is safe to return.

If you stay. Remember to stay in an area above the local floodplain, stay indoors away from glass doors and windows. Stay in a windowless room on the lowest level that is not likely to flood. Also never use a generator or gas powered equipment, to include tools, grill, camp stove or charcoal burning devices inside your house, they should only be used outside.

Post-disaster clean up. Keep yourself safe by not wading in floodwaters, which can contain debris like broken glass, metal, sewage, gasoline, oil, downed power lines and dead animals. Avoid entering any building without an inspection and do not use electrical equipment if it is wet or if you are in water. 

Always wear the appropriate protection equipment, to include gloves, safety glasses, rubber boots, and facemasks. If your house has any water damage from a storm remember to air out the house by opening all doors and windows, move porous materials such as mattresses, couches, chairs out of the house, tear out any flooring, drywall, insulation, and electrical outlets. Also clean out any remaining debris and mud.

Stay healthy. Remember to throw out any food, including canned items that were not maintained at the proper temperature or has been exposed to floodwaters. When in doubt, throw it out. Avoid drinking tap water until you know it is safe, and clean and disinfect everything that got wet.

Visit https://www.fema.gov/ and https://www.ready.gov/ for additional information and tips.