5 Essential Tips for Hurricane Preparedness

If you’ve ever lived through a hurricane, you know exactly how dangerous these natural disasters can be. Hurricane-force winds can uproot trees, overturn cars, and hurl heavy objects as if they were twigs. The most dangerous element of a hurricane, however, is water.

If you live anywhere near the coast, or anywhere that flooding can occur during heavy rainfall, a hurricane will wreak havoc. Aside from the immediate devastation caused by a hurricane, the aftermath is heavy water damage, which could potentially compromise a home’s foundation. Knowing how to prevent this damage is crucial for anyone living in a high-risk hurricane zone.

But even more importantly, knowing how to keep yourself safe during a hurricane should be your top priority. Every year, we see countless hurricane victims at Slidell Memorial, and more often than not their injuries could have been prevented with smart hurricane planning. Here are five hurricane preparedness tips we think everyone should follow.

1. Know Your Emergency Contacts

Keep in mind that during a hurricane, power can easily fail, compromising access to the Internet, as well as other forms of communication. For that reason, one of the simplest and smartest things you can do is keep a list of emergency contacts. Be sure to get numbers for your:

  • County Police Station

  • County Fire Station

  • Local Hospital

  • Local Utilities

  • Local Red Cross

  • Local TV Station

  • Local Radio Station

  • Local Emergency Management Office

  • Property Insurance Agent

You should also have a hand-written list of the numbers of family and friends just in case your phone becomes damaged or lost.

2. Have Supplies Ready

The best way to prepare for the unexpected is to over prepare. Buy basic supply kits, non perishable food, plenty of bottle water (one person usually needs to drink a gallon of water per day), medicine, first aid kits, and toolkits. You might consider storing supplies in different locations to maximize your chances of having a dry store. It’s impossible to predict which places might get flooded during a hurricane.

3. Create a Family Emergency Plan

A family emergency plan is a document that contains exactly what you need to know and tells you exactly what to do in case of an emergency. Should a hurricane hit, a FEP lets every member of your family know what to do and where to go without panicking (don’t forget about your pets!). Business owners should create similar workplace plans, and schools should have school emergency plans.

Don’t forget to review the Center for Disease Control’s (CDC) health considerations before and after storms. Additionally, the Food & Drug Administration’s (FDA) food and water safety guidelines during disasters should be required reading.

4. Practice an Evacuation

Of course, there’s really no substitute for hurricane preparedness better than practice. Run a drill with your family and/or co-workers, and stock up beforehand.

  • Get appliance thermometers that will let you know whether food is safe to eat during a power outage.

  • Keep containers of water frozen in the freezer in case of a power outage so food will last longer. The ice also doubles as clean drinking water.

  • Purchase coolers and keep them on hand.

  • Know where dry ice and block ice can be purchased locally.

  • Make absolutely sure you have bottled water in abundance.

  • Boil any non-bottled water before consumption.

5. Don’t Go Outside Unless You Absolutely Have To

Finally, there’s no substitute for due caution. In the event that you’re caught in a hurricane, do not go outside unless flooding forces you to leave the building. You should have everything you need stocked up, and in worst-case scenarios, you should contact your local police department or fire department rather than try to leave the house unescorted. Hurricane-force floodwaters can easily sweep you away.