Living in Florida, you can almost guarantee that you will be hit by some kind of tropical storm or hurricane. While residing in such a relaxing and enjoyable state can cause you to forget the dangers, it is imperative to always be prepared.
Below are five tips to ensure that as a Florida resident, a hurricane will not completely turn your life upside down:
1) Stock Up On Supplies
In case you are in a situation where conditions are too harsh for you to leave your home, make sure to have enough supplies to get you through days, and even weeks. Try to stock up on these items before a situation arises. If you prepare ahead of time you can avoid rushing to the stores along with everyone else and risking empty shelves.
Necessary supplies include:
- Water
- Non-perishable food
- Flashlights
- Blankets
- Dry clothes
- First aid kit
- Medications
- Signal devices (flares, smoke signals, distress flags)
- Any other personal items required for survival
2) Create An Evacuation Plan
If there is a storm that leaves you adequate time to evacuate, it is best to have a plan for where you will go and stay. Depending on the path of the hurricane, you will want to know which direction is safest to travel in. Beyond that, keep traffic in mind because many other people will be evacuating as well.
Your destination should be far enough away that you are out of danger. If you will be traveling far, make sure to have supplies in the car and stop every so often to rest. If possible, stay with friends or family as you might be staying for a while. You will need to save as much money as possible for what is to come after.
3) Go Over Insurance Plans
It might be beneficial to investigate your homeowner’s insurance to see exactly what it covers. Depending on what kind of damage it takes care of, you may need to get supplemental hurricane insurance. This type of coverage includes any losses that occur from this natural disaster. This guarantees you the ability to rebuild or repair your home if it is affected.
4) Have A Restoration Plan
It is inevitable that damage will be done to your property in the case of an extreme storm. You can board up windows and prepare as much as possible, but water will leak in and exterior damage may be done. It is smart to have a plan in place for how you will clean up the aftermath, such as using Storm Damage Restoration for help.
Companies such as All Dry USA plumbing services provide 24/7 help for anything from fixing leaky faucets to complete flood and mold restoration. Keep emergency clean up service contact information for quick reference after a disaster
5) Board Up Windows
There are options for boarding windows that can be done right before a hurricane or long in advance. If you want to be prepared for a storm to hit at any time, install hurricane shutters. These are window treatments that close or roll down to provide extra protection from flying objects breaking through.
You can also board up windows with plywood if shutters are not in your budget. This is a cost efficient and fairly quick way to protect the inside of your home. Nailing the plywood to the inside and outside of your windows will also stop objects from flying through. In case of fire, this method should only be used if you do not plan on staying inside.
Preparing ahead of time for a hurricane can drastically reduce the stress brought on by a natural disaster. Be sure to have these plans in place to keep yourself and family safe.
