Hurricanes are some of the most destructive natural forces on earth. Tornados may have stronger winds, but cover a much smaller area than a Hurricane. Earthquakes, mudslides, forest fires and any other natural disaster you can think of can cause massive damage, but no storm or natural disaster can affect as many people as a hurricane. If there is something good about a hurricane, it is that you usually have plenty of warning before it strikes.
Heed the warnings given by your local weatherman. They will let you know days in advance if a storm will hit your local area. The closer the storm gets to shore, the more accurate the forecast becomes. The National Weather Service will first issue a hurricane watch when a storm is far away but has the potential to intensify. A step up is a hurricane warning which means chances are very good that the storm will hit.
All hurricanes have the potential to do great damage. The weakest hurricane called a category one hurricane has sustained winds of 75mph. The greater the wind speed, the more damage a hurricane can do. While category 1 hurricanes will probably cause some trees to fall and maybe have some shingles fly off the roof, it is nothing like a category 4 or category 5 with sustained winds approaching 150 mph. A storm of that magnitude will flip cars and destroy homes. Mobile homes can be reduced to a hunk of sheet metal.
Storm surge is the most deadly part of a hurricane. You need look no further back than Hurricane Katrina and the Gulf Coast when storm surge overflowed canals, broke levees and flooded the city. Thousands of people were forced to seek refuge on the roof of their house as waters rose 20 feet or more. The point is, hurricanes are nothing to mess around with.
You can do alot to prepare for an impending hurricane. The very first thing to do is have a good evacuation plan. If you live in an area where there is a mandatory evacuation order, you will need somewhere to go. Don’t wait until the last minute. Roads may become extremely crowded and you could be stuck in traffic for hours. If you have family or friends further inland or in a state outside of the projected path of the hurricane, perhaps you can arrange to visit for a few days. Booking a hotel room outside of the storm zone is another option. Just be ready to evacuate the area quickly and stay away from home for at least a few days. If you must ride out the storm, you can go to a dedicated shelter orprepare to ride it out at home.
It is absolutely no fun going through a major hurricane at home. Even if you live in a sturdy cement block house, seal up your house with hurricane shutters and reinforce your garage door, you still can suffer tremendous damages. Trees may fall on your house, power will almost certainly be out and you may be unable to get out of your house because all the streets are blocked by fallen trees and other debris. So, you will need to be as self sufficient as possible for at least 3 days, maybe much longer.
Being self sufficient means having at least 1 gallon of drinking water per person per day for at least 3 days. You will also need water for bathing and probably for flushing the toilet. When power goes out (and it will), anything like water pumps, refrigerators and air conditioners will be inoperable. Sweltering heat, food spoilage and just having to live without the modern conveniences will make you beg for relief.
There are things you can do. Buy a generator that you can use to power some appliances and maybe a fan or two. Keep medicines handy. Put up hurricane shutters or plywood to cover windows. Have a full tank of gas. Have cash to buy essentials as ATM’s may not work.
As the storm begins its assault, make sure everyone is safe and is in an interior room, preferrably with no windows. A cell phone can be a lifeline. Remember the eye of the storm is not the end of the storm and don’t leave the safety of your home until the storm has passed completely.