Disaster Preparation: How To Get Ready For A Hurricane

A hurricane, or tropical cyclone, is a well-organized collection of clouds and thunderstorms that originates over warm tropical waters and revolves around a well-defined center. Hurricanes may unleash a slew of deadly hazards, including torrential rains, storm surges, devastating winds, and tornadoes. While storms can be deadly, planning and preparation can help mitigate the risk of injury and substantial property damage.

What can I do before a hurricane? 

These storm preparedness strategies will assist you in keeping your family safe and property damage to a minimum.

Maintain clean gutters, downpipes, and drains.

Leaves and other debris can gather in gutters and obstruct downpipes during periods of severe rainfall. Overflowing water may wreak havoc on your home’s foundations, rip gutters away from the roof, and create mildew and structural damage. Prevent this by periodically cleaning your gutters. Additionally, this is an excellent time to check for missing roof tiles or loose sheet cladding that could fall loose in high winds.

Prune overhanging tree branches.

Keeping garden trees healthy can help minimize harm from falling branches and boughs and uprooted trees. Consult your local council’s tree trimming regulations and delegate large jobs to professionals. Hiring a skilled tree surgeon is a much safer alternative than attempting the task on your own.

Secure loose items.

Wind gusts of more than 90 kilometers per hour are not uncommon during severe storms, transforming everyday objects like garden furniture into dangerous projectiles. As part of your storm preparations, secure outside goods and move cars indoors or away from trees. Keep in mind that storms can occur while you are gone, so keep outside areas tidy and store away objects prone to being picked up by strong winds rather than leaving them out in the open.

Keep an emergency storm kit on hand.

For several days, storms can knock out electricity and water. Carrying an emergency kit with you can help you survive until normal service is restored. Prescriptions, a flashlight, a portable radio, replacement batteries, a first-aid kit, food and water supplies, and blankets and clothing should all be included in your storm kit. Additionally, you might include vital documents in your kit in waterproof containers.

Take precautions as the storm approaches.

As the storm comes, close windows and doors and bring pets inside. Electrical appliances and aerials should be unplugged, and circuit breakers should be turned off. Storms are typically brief, and while it may be tempting to observe the activity, it is recommended to avoid windows due to the possibility of flying debris. Rather than that, keep an ear to the ground for local weather updates via radio or visiting the NWS website. .

Consult your local authorities and emergency services.

Acquaint yourself with the emergency plans, warning signs, evacuation routes, disaster restoration specialists and locations of emergency shelters in your community. Additionally, local emergency services can provide you with information about the most common types of disasters in your area.

Conclusion

When the National Weather Service (NWS) issues a hurricane warning, we have little time to construct hurricane shelters or storm shutters. Hurricane preparation, on the other hand, can put you one step ahead of the storm. These storm preparation tactics will help you keep your family safe while also minimizing property damage during a storm.