Don’t allow the summer sunshine to delay your hurricane preparedness plans. The best motto is, it’s better to be safe than sorry, especially when it comes to preparing for hurricane season. Even with the major technological advancements in weather forecasting, it’s still difficult for scientists to predict how many hurricanes will affect us in any given season. That’s why we must prepare even when there are no threats to Florida. Remember, it only takes one powerful hurricane to cause the destruction of many.

It’s Smart to be Informed

The best time to prepare for a hurricane is well in advance, before any storm warnings are issued. Review this list of information that will help equip you in the event of a hurricane. 

• Make sure you’re covered by flood insurance. You don’t have to live in a flood zone to be impacted by flooding during a major disaster. In most cases, this coverage must be purchased 30 days in advance. 

• Contact your homeowners insurance agent to discuss the details of your coverage including your hurricane deductible and what is and is not covered.

• Call 2-1-1 if you have questions during a crisis or need information on emergency shelters, food distribution centers, state and federal assistance, locating family members, clean-up crews, or emergency financial assistance.

• Know your evacuation zones and routes. 

• Make arrangements for your pets in case of an emergency. This guide has a checklist of all the important supplies you won’t want to forget.

• Learn meteorologist terms to gain an easier understanding of weather predictions.

Have a Plan

Make sure you have a plan in place! Sit down with your family and discuss what could happen if a hurricane were to hit Florida. Designate a “safe room” in your home such as a small interior room (closet or hallway) that has no windows and is not near any exterior doors (Tweet This). Talk about what might occur if you have to evacuate and where you and your family would go. Maybe there’s a family or friend that you can stay with during the storm; make sure to plan ahead with your relative or friend. Be sure to complete any home improvement projects before hurricane season to reduce potential damages caused by a storm. For example:

• Add garage door braces to help keep your garage door from blowing away.
• Add roof clips to secure your roof and prevent it from being blown away.
• Remove any trees that seem unhealthy and might fall if strong winds were to hit them.
• Call your local electric company if there are any tree limbs or branches near electric cables.

Have the Necessary Items

When a hurricane hits, you'll want to have a few necessities on hand that will help you ride out the storm. Make a list of the items you need for your hurricane preparedness kit; buy these items before the storm hits Florida and before they begin to sell out in stores. Take a look at the list of supplies below to gather for storm preparation (Tweet This):

• Water (A gallon per person, per day)
• Non-perishable Food
• Flashlight per person
• Radio (battery-powered or hand-crank)
• Extra batteries
• First aid kit
• Your medications
• Sanitation items
• Extra cash
• Cell phone chargers (car chargers)

Here’s a checklist to better help you organize and plan: Hurricane Preparedness Checklist

Plan ahead and stay prepared this hurricane season, don’t let the calm of the storm trick you into hurricane apathy. Let us know how you are preparing for this hurricane season by commenting below.