It's Hurricane Season!!

June begins hurricane season and runs through November. August and September are the months that have the most activities of hurricanes seen. Complacency can kill you. Nevertheless, when you live in Florida, like I do, you start preparations early.

Preparing Before a Hurricane

- Start with reviewing your property for bad tree limbs that need to be cut down.

- Secure any lose bolts on screened enclosures.

- Keep your gutters clear from leaves or debris.

- Check your windows for leaks and do repairs now!

- If you have a wet area around your home, think of putting a plastic drain tube in the ground.

- If you have any roof repair that needs to be done, do it now!

- Prepare a pantry of canned, dry goods, and bottled water.

- Have an extra propane tank handy if you have a gas grill.

- Always have your automobile gas tank filled.

- Go over with the family where your "safe" room will be.

- Keep your insurance paperwork handy with phone numbers

- Know your evacuation route and where you will go.

- Know the nearby shelters.

- If you hear a storm is threatening the United States, FEMA has a storm watch site that you can monitor. Please click "here".

I live nearby Orlando. Four years ago, the Greater Orlando residents received their wake up call when we had three major hurricane storms hit within a short period.

The first one was hurricane Charlie, a category 4 which ended up causing 14 billion dollars to the United States. A chill came up my spine when I saw the Orange County mayor's face on television, explain to people about getting in a safe place. I saw terror in his face. He couldn't hide his own fear.

During this period, I lived in Florida for about 20 years and never had this type of experience. I took it seriously when the actual hurricane storm was coming directly my way. I was hunkered down with my daughter and dog in our bathroom as we were experiencing the darkness and sounds of tornadoes in the nearby area. The wind thrusts were up to 80 miles per hour around us. Our screened enclosure was wobbling side to side. Fortunately, for us the direct hit of the hurricane storm turned the last minute. Unfortunately, for the city of Orlando, many residences lost their roofs and thousands of trees through this path of destruction.

Prior to Hurricane Charley, Orlando had not experienced a major hurricane since Hurricane Donna in 1960 which ended up being a category 5. After Hurricane Charley, Orlando experienced immediately after that two more hurricanes, Hurricane Frances and Hurricane Jeanne. We actually had a similar path from Hurricane Jeanne towards our home as we did with Hurricane Charlie. So, we were able to experience this twice within a month apart.

Because of that 2004 season, Florida suffers today with insurance companies not wanting to cover residences or putting a higher premium with less coverage on properties.

For the 2008 Hurricane Predictions go to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) web site.

Once you go through a season of 2004, like the residences of the Greater Orlando did, you start thinking of the Boy Scout motto, "be prepared" and you don't become complacent again.