Preparing for a hurricane
If you live in an area that experiences hurricanes, you know that early planning can keep you and your household safe. In addition to making an emergency plan, it’s advised to purchase necessary supplies before hurricane season begins.
To point you in the right direction, read this list of hurricane season essentials.
Make an emergency plan
According to Ready.gov, the first thing you should do to prepare for hurricane season is create an emergency plan. Be sure everyone in your household is aware of your meeting place, shelter plan and evacuation route.
It should be noted that hurricanes may impact areas differently, especially in terms of rain, wind and flooding. For that reason, you may need to adapt your emergency plan and kits accordingly.
How to prepare for hurricane season
Here are three things you should do to prepare for hurricane season:
Prepare your home
Assemble an emergency essentials kit
Prepare household members and pets
Some of the items shared in this guide are intended for households sheltering in place; others are for households that evacuate. Keep in mind there is often little time to prepare for hurricanes once you hear a warning. These suggestions are intended for preseason preparation only.
Prepare your home
Reinforce your home
There are several ways to reinforce your home to minimize hurricane-related damage.
If you live in a flood zone, build a sandbag wall to prevent water from coming into your home. Buy sandbags and plastic sheets. You’ll also need soil or sand to fill the bags.
Paint walls with a waterproofing compound to minimize the amount of water that seeps into cracks or porous areas.
Reinforce your windows
Windows may sustain damage during a hurricane.
You may need to board up windows. Use plywood; if possible, get marine-grade plywood that is 3/4-inch thick.
Attach plywood with screws at least 2 inches long. Nails are less secure because they’re more likely to pull away from the house in whipping winds.
Consider installing hurricane windows, which are stronger than regular windows.
Secure or remove outdoor items
Secure or remove any outdoor items that can become projectiles, such as grills and patio furniture.
Bring patio furniture indoors or place it in your pool if you have one. Glass and tile tables should be turned upside-down if they’re not brought indoors.
Check surrounding yards to make sure neighbors have secured their outdoor items. If neighbors have already evacuated, you may need to secure these items yourself.
Buy cleanup gear
You may need to do repairs or clean up indoor and outdoor spaces following a hurricane. Keep these cleaning supplies on hand in a secure place in your home.
Protect yourself during outdoor cleanups with insect repellent and sunscreen.
Wear masks and goggles when you clean up areas with significant dust, mold or pollutants.
Wear rugged footwear and gloves to move through cleanup areas safely.
Assemble an emergency essentials kit
Food
Hurricanes may impact your access to grocery stores for an undetermined amount of time. If you’re sheltering in place, stock up on several days’ worth of food for each household member.
Shelf-stable foods like individually packaged snacks, protein bars and canned goods are ideal.
Depending on which size you buy, an emergency food supply kit may cover an individual’s food supply for 1 week to 30 days.
Keep a manual can opener on hand as well as paper plates and plastic utensils for eating.
An oversized cooler is convenient for storing perishables if you lose power.
Water
Hurricanes may impact access to public or well water. Based on FEMA recommendations, have at least a 72-hour supply of 1 gallon of water per person, per day.
Stock up on either packs of water bottles or gallon water jugs.
As a backup plan, consider a water filtration system or water purification tablets.
Medical supplies
Access to pharmacies may be restricted. Whether you’re sheltering in place or evacuating, it’s wise to have a 90-day supply of prescription medication and vitamins.
In addition, make sure you have these medical supplies in your essentials kit.
Pick up a first aid kit and over-the-counter medications.
Coolers and cold packs are necessary to store refrigerated medication, like insulin, or other necessities like breast milk.
Hygiene items
Besides basic medical supplies, stock up on personal hygiene items for each person in your household.
Make sure you have enough toilet paper, personal wipes, feminine care products and hand sanitizer.
Be prepared in the event sewer and septic systems are damaged by a hurricane and buy supplies for an alternative toilet system.
To create a makeshift toilet, line a simple bucket with commode liners.
For hygiene and safety reasons, tie off each bag securely with duct tape.
Electronics
Stay connected with household members and your community before, during and after a hurricane. These electronics and devices can facilitate communication.
Have an emergency radio, ideally an NOAA radio, to track hurricane warnings and weather alerts.
Two-way radios can be helpful to communicate with household members if phone service is unavailable.
Keep enough power bricks, spare chargers and batteries on hand to power devices.
Essential tools kit
It’s helpful to have an essential tools kit at home, especially if you experience power loss.
Include basic survival items like hand tools, duct tape, rope, lighters, matches, flashlights, candles and a fire extinguisher.
You may need safety and communication supplies like glow sticks, headlamps, a megaphone or whistles.
Documentation and valuables
Because it’s difficult to replace important documentation and valuables, it’s important to protect them in the event of a hurricane or flooding.
Waterproof document storage bags are perfect for storing these items. In them, you should have:
Wills, insurance policies, titles, deeds, diplomas, marriage and birth certificates and passports
Cash (banks and ATMs may not be accessible in your area)
Valuables such as jewelry or family photos
If you’re sheltering in place, keep these items in a dry, secure location in your home. If you’re evacuating, bring them with you to the secondary location.
Prepare household members and pets
Clothing
If you’re evacuating, make sure you pack at least one week’s worth of clothing to bring to the secondary location.
Bring easy-care clothing that’s machine-washable and dryer-safe.
If you have formal clothing, such as a gown or tuxedo, pack it in a garment bag for the journey.
Baby supplies
Put together a baby supplies kit with a week’s worth of food, clothing and sleep items. You may need to adjust your inventory depending on where you stay during a hurricane.
Include diapers, formula, baby food and baby wipes.
Households that are breastfeeding should bring a pump and extra milk storage bags.
Other baby gear like a portable crib or baby blankets are useful if you’re traveling to a secondary location.
Pet supplies
If you’re evacuating, bring several days’ worth of pet supplies to your secondary location. This includes any medication or treatment your pet receives.
Pack dry or wet pet food. Treats can be helpful to have during the journey as well.
Depending on the type of pet you have, you may need to pack collars, leashes, pet carriers, dog waste bags, travel litter boxes or travel food and water bowls.
Learn more about hurricane season preparation by visiting Ready.gov and connecting with your local, county and state organizations for public safety.
Sian Babish is a writer for BestReviews. BestReviews is a product review company with a singular mission: to help simplify your purchasing decisions and save you time and money.
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