As the hurricane season swoops in, preparing adequately for any incoming storms can prove vital. Naturally, as Florida remains a high-risk area, taking additional measures can also help ensure your safety during the season.
Have an Active Plan
One of the core things to remember each hurricane season is prevention is better than cure. Long before news of any storm, you should already have an active plan that you can fall back on if things begin to go wrong. This level of preparation allows you to remain calm despite the storm brewing.
Generally, your plan should include all potential evacuation routes and meeting points where your friends and family can gather. We also recommend sharing each detail of this plan with loved ones, as you may be separated from them when the storm hits.
Prepare a Hurricane Kit
Hurricane kits often act as lifesavers during storm season. We always suggest that you have one on standby throughout the entire season. These kits will be your source of safety if the storm forces you to evacuate or results in other dreadful situations such as power outages. In such scenarios, most people will have to rush over to the store to get supplies leading to several items quickly running out of stock.
When crafting your hurricane kit, you should strive to only pick items you consider essential. As a rule of thumb, everything you pack should be portable and small enough to fit into a bag. Although the final materials you select are up to you, we highly recommend focusing on:
- Non-perishable food,
- Extra medications,
- A light source,
- Batteries,
- Power cords,
- Phone cords,
- Non-electric radios, and
- First-aid kits.
Have Alternative Power Sources on Standby
Unfortunately, once the hurricane starts to make landfall, your power may likely go off. Finding yourself in a blackout can feel tremendously frightening, especially as the storm brews outside your home. This potential for a power outage is one of the core reasons we always suggest having alternative means of electricity, such as a small generator, on standby.
If you are not able to have a full-home generator, a smaller one can help keep essential devices such as phones and computers charged while also allowing you to generate cool air. If you do choose to get a generator, you must also ensure that you have enough fuel to keep it running for a few days. We also recommend getting an adequate amount of gasoline for your car as fuel stations around you may be closed.
Secure Your Home
Hurricanes have a tremendous impact on our surrounding areas and can often lead to millions of dollars worth of damages. To reduce the amount of personal impact a storm may have, we suggest securing your home throughout the season. Fortunately, there are various ways to do this.
Before the storm, you must ensure that you trim all large trees and remove any small items that a storm may hurl around. We also recommend investing in hurricane shutters, as they are excellent at protecting doors and windows from any strong impact. Alternatively, you may also use wood to plywood handy to board your doors and windows.
Tie Down a Good Insurance Policy
Although you may have an active plan and secure your home, there is little guarantee that the hurricane will not destroy some of your items. This potential for damage is one of the core reasons we recommend investing in a good insurance policy with extensive coverage. Fortunately, Florida has a wide range of insurance companies and plans you can choose from, so this should not be much of a hassle.
Before the storm, you may also want to inventory your protected items and belongings and take videos of them. This evidence will help ease the insurance claim process and reduce the payout time.