Emergency Preparedness Tips

Hurricane season spans from June 1 through Nov. 30, with the peak occurring mid-August through late October. Individual and family preparedness are key to building resiliency and being ready for any potential disasters. Take time out now to prepare by building a kit, planning and toughening your homes. [You can download a PDF version of these tips here.]

Build a kit. Consider the specific needs of your family, including seniors and those with access and functional needs, to ensure there are adequate supplies for the first 7-10 days following a disaster in case you need to shelter in place at home. Store these materials in an easily accessible container or cupboard and update them twice a year at daylight saving times.

• Store one gallon of water, for drinking and sanitation, for each person per day.

• Include non-perishable ready-to-eat foods for each person in the household paying attention to family members with special diets and allergies.

• Have hand sanitizer, antibiotic ointment, hygienic products, diapers and wipes available.

• First Aid kit along with any medications.

• Flashlight, glow sticks, whistle or bell, Battery-operated AM/FM radio, and extra batteries or a wind-up radio that does not require batteries,

• Iodine tablets or one quart of unscented bleach (for disinfecting water ONLY if directed to do so by health officials) and eyedropper (for adding bleach to water)

• Include a favorite toy, stuffed animal, books and activities for younger members of the family.

• Protect your important documents such as vital records, insurance policies, medical information, property and financial records by laminating them or putting them on an external drive.

• Make sure to have adequate food and water for your pet. Be sure your pet is wearing a collar with updated identification tags with the pet’s name, owner’s name, address and phone number.

Make a family communications plan. As roads may be impassable and cell phone service may be disrupted, identify alternate ways of staying in touch with loved ones.

• Choose an out of town friend or relative as a point of contact.

• Decide on a meeting place in case you cannot return home.

• Keep important documents and phone numbers with you at all times.

• Ensure children are included in preparedness conversations and make sure they have emergency contacts memorized or saved in a secure place.

Harden and protect your property. Take steps to protect their homes.

• Review home insurance policies to ensure proper coverage and take photos of property.

• Prepare to store anything from your property that could be picked up by hurricane winds and turned into a harmful object.

• Trim trees to remove dead limbs and secure rain gutters and downspouts.

• Make sure porches, decks or sheds are sound and firmly attached.

• Fasten down roofs with hurricane straps or clips and install strong bolts at the top and bottom of exterior doors. Buy or make storm shutters for windows.

Prepping your boat for hurricanes. Take steps to protect your boat.

• Never stay on the boat.

• Best option is to take your boat of the water, if possible.

• Secure your boat to the dock, if it cannot be stored ashore.

• Reinforce against damage by installing chafe guards and fenders to protect the stress of your lines and your boat.

• Remove personal belongings from the vessel.

• Cut windage by reducing the profile of your boat, take down anything you can that can catch the wind.

• Keep your boat insurance information up-to-date and in a safe place.

Compile emergency reference information. A record with details of your family disaster plan. Every member of your household should have a copy.

• Name: __________________________________________________________

• Local Meeting Place: _______________________________________________

• Meeting Place Outside of Your Neighborhood: ________________________________________________________________

• Work/School/Other Evacuation Locations: _________________________________________________________________

• Work/School/Other Contact: __________________________________________

• Out-of-Area Contact: ________________________________________________

• Homeowner's/Renter's Insurance Information:  __________________________________________________________________

• Boat Insurance Information:  __________________________________________________________________

• Doctors' Names and Numbers: _________________________________________________

For more information on how to better prepare your family, check out Ready.gov. To download a PDF version of these tips, click here.