Helping You Prepare for a Hurricane

The Atlantic hurricane season runs from June through November. Below are some tips to help you prepare in case of a hurricane. Of course these tips are not to provide all the information you will need, but to help you plan ahead.

Take Precaution

–Listen to local TV, radio, or NOAA weather radio to be aware of watches and warnings

–Be aware that the calm "eye of the storm" can be deceiving The storm is NOT over!

–Flooding along the coast can begin well before a hurricane makes landfall.

–Stay away from floodwaters. If you are caught on a flooded road and waters are rising rapidly, get out of the car quickly and move to higher ground.

–Never attempt to drive through water on the road, water can be deeper then it appears and water levels can rise very quickly.

Prepare Your House

–Hurricane Panels, Rolling Shutters, Force 12 Hurricane Screens, Colonial/Bahama Shutters, or Accordion Shutters help eliminate the hassle of covering windows and doors with plywood or other temporary devices during the approach of a storm.

–If your home and other buildings are not protected by permanently installed devices, by all means cover all windows and doors with plywood or whatever might be available.

–Garage doors are a weak link and frequently overlooked during storm preparation. Secure Door is a simple and inexpensive way to protect garage doors from collapsing in the face of hurricane strength wind.

–Gable vents are frequently overlooked. At minimum, plywood should be cut to fit and securely affixed to all gable vents.

–Move everything that might be flood damaged to upper stories or attic if possible.

–Flying debris can cause damage. Lawn furniture, patio and picnic tables, grills, anything that could blow away or slammed into buildings, should be stored securely inside the home, garage, etc.

–Trees should be trimmed of dead or overhanging limbs that could damage your home.

–Turn off electricity at the main circuit breaker or fuse box to protect appliances from power surges common during service interruptions.

–If the house is supplied with natural or propane gas, turn it off at the meter or tank.

–Remove perishable items from your refrigerator and freezer before evacuating as a power outage will likely occur.

Prepare A Personal Evacuation Plan

–Create a list ahead of time of places you might go if ordered or advised to evacuate. Include friends and family who live well inland, motels, and temporary-aid shelters.

–Monitor NOAA and also local radio and television for evacuation advisories. If advised to evacuate, do so immediately.

–If you live in the affected area, call the toll-free Red Cross Hotline 1-866-438-4636 for the nearest Emergency Shelter.

–Advise friends and family of your plans to evacuate, where you plan to go, and when you will arrive.

–Familiarize yourself with hurricane evacuation routes in your region well before hurricane season.

–Motorists should fill their tanks before evacuating. If fuel becomes low look for TXDOT signs that indicate key fuel supply locations. TXDOT patrols major evacuation routes and will assist you.

Evacuees' Emergency Supplies

–Maps, prescription medication and First Aid supplies, spare eyeglasses and sunglasses, clothing and bedding (enough for several days), rainwear, flashlights and spare batteries, extra sets of keys, three gallons of drinking water per person per day, water for sanitary purposes, three day minimum supply non-perishable food, Fix-A-Flat and tire patching kit.