How to Prepare for a Hurricane

#1. Life and Remaining Alive is MOST important.

Use your common sense when a strong hurricane is nearing your home. Your life cannot be replaced; however, you can ALWAYS buy and replace objects. Yes, they may be valuable and meaningful, but it's more important for you to take care of you and your pet's, family's, friend's lives first. Have a plan of action ready before June 1 (beginning of hurricane season). Decide where you will go when dangerous conditions force you out of your home. Share your plan of action with neighbors and family so they too will know where to find you. During Hurricane Katrina, many people fled at the last minute and their families were left worried sick because they had no idea if they were alive or dead. They had no way of knowing where their families were or how to get in touch with them.

If you are worried about losing your pictures and valuables, go ahead and buy Tupperware boxes or waterproof containers to pack them into. When it's time to leave, you can quickly grab them and take them with you.

#2. Gather your NECESSITIES!

In making your plan of action, be sure to include a checklist of things you NEED, such as medicine, water, food, etc. When a hurricane is on the way, don't sit and wait to see what's going to happen. Start preparing right then. Bring out your list and check it off as you complete it. Get your medications filled, visit the grocery store to get non-perishable items, and any other items you can think of that you cannot live without during the storm. Don't forget about putting gas in your cars as well. Last thing you want is to be a week or two without fuel, or stuck in a traffic jam of people trying to leave the area with your tank reading E. If you have a generator you plan to use, don't forget to get gas for it as well. Also, it's a good idea to run buckets full of water so you will have it in case the electricity goes out for awhile.

#3 Prepare your home and yard.

If you expect high winds, put patio furniture, grills, etc. inside. You don't want them blowing around and into neighbors yards. What you think is heavy, CAN actually be lifted up and taken up the street by category 3 and up hurricanes. Be courteous.

If you're like many that live along the coast, you may have a boat or other watercraft. If it is small and in the water, it should be fine during a category 1 and 2 storm. To be on the safe side, you can always put it on a trailer and take it inland. I would strongly recommend doing this during a category 4 and 5 storm. As you have probably seen in Hurricane Katrina and other storm photos, high winds and water can destroy boats and even lift them right out of the water.

With a much larger boat that cannot be taken out of the water, make sure the batteries are working, everything is removed, and that your pumps are working. You don't want storm water sitting in your boat with no way out - that can cause a sinking vessel. Make sure the boat is tied tightly and securely to its poles or cleats.

If your boat is going to be left outdoors, take these precautions: let the air out of the tires to keep it grounded, take down the curtains and tops because the wind can rip them off and/or get in them and try to flip the boat, remove all electronics and fishing gear, make sure the plug is OUT, and anchor it down with the anchors so that if it sinks, it won't be thrown around and damaged worse.