June may seem like a long way off, but as everyone knows, it comes before you know it. Whether NOAA predicts an active hurricane season or not, it is always best to be prepared to protect life and property. Have you made your hurricane preparedness checklist yet? If not, the following tips may inspire you to get started. There’s always a chance Alberto might not wait for June to pay you a visit.
Why You Need to Order Supplies Now
The first thing you should do is inspect your property to understand what the ultimate cause of damage can be during and in the aftermath of a storm. Most people only think of wind damage. While this is important, you should also be aware of the fact that structural damage also frequently leads to water damage. Instead of letting water go flooding through your home due to broken pipes, you can prevent that with an auto water shut off valve. Remember, if a storm is heading in your direction, all home improvement stores will quickly sell out of the supplies you need to protect your home or business and you certainly won’t have time to order what you need online. Order what you need now.
Evacuation Routes and Hurricane Maps
Some people use mobile apps to track hurricanes and chart an evacuation route while others still go the old-fashioned route with paper and pen. Either way, both of these maps are important to have on hand during hurricane season. If you are at all technologically inclined, it can be easier to track hurricanes with a mobile app for your smartphone because you will not need to place any dots where they belong as the storm moves. The app does all that for you. Also, with a GPS enabled phone, you can be kept up-to-date on current traffic conditions during an evacuation and the app will redirect you if one route becomes too congested. Technology has come a long way so use it!
Checklist of Supplies to Have on Hand
There is no lack of resources when it comes to hurricane preparedness checklists, but if you’ve never lived through a hurricane, you may not give enough attention to those supplies which could literally save your life. Water is a prime example. Hurricanes typically form during the very hottest time of the year and when the power goes out, you may find that other utilities will go down as well. Even if you still have running water, it may not be suitable for drinking, so always have at least one to two weeks of bottled drinking water on hand. Gas stations will not be up and running either if there are widespread power outages, so keep some on hand to run generators and for your vehicle if you weren’t able to wait through long lines as the storm approached.
Sometimes it’s decades between storms reaching the United States and other times it’s an annual event. With so many named storms striking the U.S. within the past ten to fifteen years, it’s better to be well prepared than to be caught unawares. Don’t wait until May to get prepared. The time is now so use it well.
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