Understanding Hurricanes and How They Affect Your Family

Hurricanes unlike most other disasters do not happen without warning. The public is usually well informed many times as much as a week or two in advance that danger is threatening. So last minute preparations are still a possibility but are not recommended.

Although you may have last minute time to make preparations being prepared in advance can make your recovery from a hurricane that much easier and quicker.

When a hurricane threatens the first priority of relief agencies is to make sure that all urgent needs for medical care, food and water are take care of first. Then they move on to relieving individual needs. Your personal needs for water, food, shelter, medicines and other equipment you may need to survive may not be addressed for days or even weeks. You should be prepared for your own needs with food and water for at least 3 days and for special needs, such as medicine, medical equipment, oxygen and other special needs items for at least 7 days.

Understand the Disaster

Consider the following questions when getting ready for a Hurricane.

What has happened to my local area and neighborhood and block during past hurricanes?

How will I be warned of the impending hurricane and how much time will that warning give me to prepare or evacuate?

What are the effects to my local economy, my job and my community?

Your local emergency office or the local chapter of the Red Cross can give you the information you need about what happens and what has happened during the past hurricanes in your area. Check with your insurance agent to make sure you have adequate coverage for hurricanes and remember that flood insurance is not normally included and must be done separately. A flood insurance policy is required to cover flooding damages.

After a hurricane, your home and neighborhood may be very different. Exits to your home or building may not be passable, sidewalks and roads may be blocked. If you have prepared for alternate forms of egress from your home, neighborhood and community you will be able to recover much quicker.

With high winds a great deal of shaking may occur to your home. Items may break and scatter glass and other debris. Hanging objects like plants mirrors and pictures may fall as well file cabinets, computers, books and other unsecured items. All of these can hurt you severely if you are struck or cut. Ceiling tiles may fall causing a lot of dust that can harm people with asthma or other respiratory problems. Large furniture can be moved and block your pathways completely. Be prepared for this type of change in your environment.

Prepare for things you may not be able to do immediately after a disaster. Some of the things you take for granted you may not be able to accomplish for several days. Such as

Cooking
Cooling or heating your home
Making or receiving phone calls including cell service
Charging batteries
Use electrical equipment
Access cash thru ATM
Obtain fuel for your vehicles or generators

Know these items and what you have to do to overcome them for at least 3 days.

One of the most forgotten problems of a hurricane comes in the form of stress from the disaster. Stress makes any medical condition worse. Everyone affected by a hurricane may experience any number of psychological and emotional effects from a hurricane. The most common symptoms are anxiety, restlessness, depression, anger, survivor's guilt and recurrent nightmares. Physically survivors may experience poor concentration, mental confusion, slowed reactions and inability to make decisions along with headaches weakness and hot or cold spells.

These are all real and cause real problems. Being prepared for what can happen will reduce the effects of these dangers. In the next step of this series you will find a long list of items that are necessary to have on hand.