Hurricanes Happen – Part 2

Here are some things that need to be decided before a hurricane is knocking at your front door:

Evacuation:

• Are you in an evacuation zone?
• Will you evacuate?
• Where will you go? – will they take pets?
• What will you take? – medicine, clothing, food and water for at least 3 days for each person, canned and unrefrigerated
• How soon to evacuate? – don’t wait until the last minute. The roads may be too congested to get out of harm’s way

If you plan on staying at home:

• Gas up your vehicles – the pumps won’t work if the electricity is out
• Get cash from the bank – see above. The cash registers at the grocery store won't work either, even if it's open after the storm
• Food and water – at least 3 day’s worth for each person – canned and unrefrigerated. Storms have stalled over Cuba for as long as a week. Yes, I know, this isn't Cuba, just saying it's happened
• Cook stove and propane – so you can have soup, chili and hot meals instead of cold sandwiches. Cook in a well-ventilated area for obvious reasons
• Have plenty of fresh batteries on hand for flashlights, lanterns, and radios

Preparing your home:

• Have lumber to board up windows and doors
• Remove all items from your yard – garbage cans, hoses, lawn furniture and lawn decorations

Early in the season, you might want to inspect trees in your yard. If you have dead limbs or limbs that may break in a high wind, you might want to cut them down now so they don't end up in your living room either through the roof or through a window.

Speaking of windows, don't use masking tape. It's only paper with some adhesive. If you have to use something other than plywood, use duct tape. It's still a poor substitute, but better than masking tape.

If you have a pool, it's a good place to store lawn furniture and garbage cans if you can't put it in your house or garage. And don't be concerned about the pool. Leave the water in it. It can help protect the pool.

Something else to think about: Insurance. Are you in a flood zone? Do you have flood insurance? Don't think about waiting until hurricane season to start looking for insurance. Some companies won't even write policies between June 1st and November 30th. And if they do, the premium could be higher than a cat's back. Your homeowner's policy may change deductibles for hurricane damage. If you rent, look for renter's insurance. Your landlord's policy more than likely won't cover damages to your personal belongings if the roof comes off or a tree limb comes through the front window.

You can't stop hurricanes from happening, but you can take precautions to protect your property, and more importantly, your life.