Hurricane Season – Are You Prepared? June 1st was the official beginning of this years hurricane season. So, its time to review your preparedness. Having a disaster plan and supply kit ready will go a long way toward helping you and your family remain safe during any serious incident, hurricane or otherwise. First, lets not get crazy about this Hurricanes have affected Florida, and Palm Beach in particular, in any substantial way only very, very, very infrequently, but it is better to be prepared than caught unprepared should it ever happen. Here are the steps you should take to assure that you and your family are ready for any serious storm or other incident that may occur whether you live in Palm Beach, Florida or anywhere else. Visit Hurricane Windows for all your window and door work.

What To Look For After The Storm Once the wind and rain has subsided, you need to inspect your home to ensure minor problems now do not become more troublesome issues later. Broken windows and felled trees are easy to spot, but leaks in your pipes and malfunctioning HVAC systems can be more difficult to spot – even if those problems existed before the big storm, you must contact a contractor or repairman to handle replacements before the weather gets cold. Some things to look for in the aftermath of bad weather.

2. Check your Disaster Supply Kit It is important to make sure that everything you put into the kit stays there. Do not be tempted to remove items from the kit and use them for everyday life when you run short of something. Its just too easy to forget to replace items you remove from the kit during non-emergency times. Your kit should include at least the following. At least one gallon of water per person in your family per day, with enough for at least 4 days (more if you can). Enough food for 3 – 7 days in the form of canned, dehydrated, or other non-perishable food items. Do not forget implements including a can opener, plastic utensils and paper plates. If you want to be able to cook food, you will also need to include some form of grill or other cooking equipment and a supply of fuel. Pet care items for your pets, including food and extra water, a leash and muzzle for dogs, and a cage or carrier for any small pets. A good first-aid kit, toiletries, and personal care items. Add any prescription drugs you take regularly to the kit whenever you hear a hurricane watch has been issued. Blankets, pillows, and clothing (including cold and wet-weather clothing). Battery-operated flashlights and radio, and spare batteries. Remember that things like batteries will need to be replaced periodically to assure that the ones included will work when needed. Particularly if you have children, books, toys, and games to keep yourself and them occupied during the storm. Store copies of important documents, including insurance policies, social security & bank account numbers, wedding and birth certificates in a waterproof package. Tools (battery or hand-operated only), and where practical emergency repair items you may want to have to repair damage done to your home. Once you have assembled the kit items, store them in water-tight bags or boxes in a secure location (preferably in your designated safe room). Make sure your family knows what the kit is for, where its located, and not to remove anything from it under any circumstances without your knowledge.

3. When a Hurricane Watch is Issued If a hurricane watch is issued, you will take slightly different actions depending on whether or not you need to evacuate. In either situation, your first priority will be grabbing your disaster supply kit and gathering your family together. Notify your designated contact person about the hurricane watch and tell them how you will attempt to contact them if the storm actually hits. Fill your cars tank with gas. Get some cash (ATMs and gas pumps will not work if the electricity is off). Prepare your pets according to your disaster plan. Notify the primary and secondary emergency locations you plan to go to if you are evacuated that you may be coming. Make hotel reservations now, if that is appropriate in your case. You can almost always cancel such reservations as late as 6 PM on the night you’re expected to arrive, if the storm does not strike.

Home repairs, while a seeming headache, do not appear as bad if you tackle the problems quickly and efficiently. If your home weathers a hurricane, do your best to make sure it stands well in any season. Before a hurricane strikes, everyone needs to investigate what they need to do, and what actually will benefit them in a disaster. In any hurricane area, the worst thing to do is to believe it will never happen and fail to have a plan of survival. Visit Hurricane Windows for a great price on all your window and door work.

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