Developing your hurricane plan.
Experts warn that we are moving towards more tropical storm activity over the next few years. Now more than ever, it is vital that we prepare in advance, and remembering that the days immediately after the passage of a hurricane also carry dangers.
There are two things you can do to prepare and protect your family and property:
- Invest early (cannot be done at the last minute) in a hurricane protection system.
- Develop a hurricane plan that takes into account the circumstances and individual needs of your family.
On average, 8 to 10 tropical storms and 5 to 7 hurricanes form each year. The season runs from May to November, and hurricanes gain intensity as the season progresses. A storm in August is more likely to develop as a category 4 or 5 hurricane than one in June.
Start preparing before the hurricane season begins, protecting your family and your property from hurricane damage with a system of protections, an action plan and some preparedness measures described below.
Before the hurricane season begins:
- If you don’t have hurricane damage insurance, quote it now. If you already have it, examine your policy and insurance coverage and make copies of your policies. Find out if your vehicles are covered too.
- If you have trees on your property, prune them in advance so that weak branches or those representing a danger are removed in time. If your neighbors or the town hall have trees that represent a risk, ask them to do the same.
- Take photos of your home inside and out to document its condition and content in case you have to make an insurance claim. Take pictures of the measures you use to protect your property against potential hurricane damage to support the claim to the insurer. In the event that a hurricane approaches, go documenting the progress of the damage if they were presented.
- Take vaccinate your pets and get ready to know what decision you will make in reference to them. You can read our article: How to care for your pets in a hurricane?
- Develop an action plan with a list of chores for the 72 hours before the arrival of a hurricane. You must include at least the points mentioned in the next section.
- Prepare your hurricane kit. You may be interested in our article: How to prepare an emergency kit for a hurricane?
- Perform an inspection and repairs on roofs, windows and walls of the house, to ensure that there are no weaknesses.
- Invest in auxiliary batteries for your cell phone.
- Visualize, plan, travel and record an escape route, with alternatives as some routes may be obstructed.
- Consider investing in an electricity generator.
From 24 to 72 hours before the possible arrival of a hurricane:
The Huracán Sin Peligro protection systems are designed to be installed quickly. However, we recommend that you have them placed no less than 24 hours before the arrival of the hurricane.
- Get prescriptions for your medications for a month.
- Make preparations for the protection of your vehicles.
- Protect or moor and / or move any wave runners or boats you have. You will find detailed suggestions in our article: How to prepare your boat for a hurricane?.
- Check and protect your hurricane supplies and replace the batteries in your lamps and radios.
- Buy drinking water and food that does not break down.
- Examine your neighborhood or residential evacuation plan.
- Do a general cleaning, remove all loose objects that can be projectiles inside and outside your home. Secure or store garden furniture, pots or plants, as well as playgrounds, gas cylinders or other objects that can fly away.
- Inspect ceilings, windows and walls of the house and reinforce as necessary.
- Fill your car’s gas tank and make sure it works.
- Fill propane tanks.
- If you have a generator, ensure you have enough fuel for a week.
- Keep important documents of the whole family in plastic bags.
- Withdraw enough cash from the bank. Remember that without electricity, there will be no electronic bank systems.
- Check again the trees of your property. If they are very leafy, remove some branches so that the wind can pass through them.
- Freeze filtered water in plastic bags or jars, and use them to fill empty spaces in the freezer. They will serve to keep food cold for longer in case there is no electricity service.
If possible, some or all family members should be absent from the area altogether, staying at another location in a hotel or with family or friends. Ensures that you have turned off electricity, gas and water before leaving.
Immediately before the arrival of the hurricane:
- Stay in a safe place, with family or friends.
- Disconnect all electrical appliances.
- If you do not have family or friends, go to a shelter. If you are going to a shelter, go ahead, do not wait for the winds to begin.
- When you go to the shelter do not forget to bring food and medicine.
- Have a first aid kit handy.
- Keep your radio, lamp, flashlight with batteries, cell phone charger handy.
- Have enough canned foods that do not need refrigeration and do not require cooking.
- Fill the tubs with clean water as well as the tinacos or cisterns and buckets.
- Close the gas valves and the valves that are close to each appliance (stove, grill, etc.) but do not close the main gas pipe.
- Regulate your refrigerator and freezer to the coldest possible point. Cover the refrigerator with rags to keep the cold inside.
- Recharge your cell phone.
During the hurricane:
- First of all, keep calm and keep an eye on official notices.
- Keep your radio on to continue the development of the storm or hurricane.
- Do not go outside, except in case of emergency.
- If you have to leave, stay away from trees, cables, lampposts and telephone and flooded areas.
- Use the phone only for emergencies, to conserve the battery.
- In case the eye of the hurricane passes, there will be calm of approximately 1 hour, but you should not leave your house.
- Use battery lamps, do not light candles.
- Stay away from doors and windows.
- If the air breaks a window, open another in the opposite direction to circulate the air.