The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) advises those in hurricane-prone regions to be ready for the season’s onslaught. Hurricane season planning and other catastrophe preparations can be complex at any time of year, but they can be too much of a hassle if the COVID-19 pandemic worsens. Your practices can be different this year because of the need to safeguard yourself and others against COVID-19.
A hurricane is a series of tropical storms that form over the ocean and often move ashore. High winds, torrential rainfall, storm surge, coastal and inland floods, rip currents, and tornadoes are hazards associated with hurricanes. The strong winds can damage or demolish houses, buildings, and roads during a hurricane and knock out utilities such as electricity, water, and gas. People can be injured or killed, transportation can be disrupted, and drinking water can be contaminated due to these impacts. Drowning, wind, and wind-borne debris are the primary causes of mortality and injury during hurricanes. Hurricanes have the potential to have an effect hundreds of kilometers inland as well as along the coast.
Understand how to properly prepare for severe storms by learning how to evacuate and find a safe place to stay.
Table of Contents
1. Create a strategy
Prepare for a catastrophe as a family. Always be prepared to evacuate if necessary. It would be best if you heeded any local advice on the most recent updates to the evacuation and shelter arrangements, including those for your pets. Preserve the well-being of the elderly. Recognize the medical and health problems of the aging population. If you must evacuate, shut off all of your utilities and adhere to your community’s emergency response plan. Decide on a central meeting location or contact person for the whole family. Prepare for the evacuation of your pets as well if you have them.
2. Make sure it is safe outside
After trimming down big trees and bushes, all patio furniture, potted plants, bikes, and other outside toys should be brought inside. Burlap or blankets tied with rope can be used to secure outdoor sculptures if required. Be sure to secure your roof using straps. During storms with high winds, roofs can wholly or partly fly off. Using hurricane straps or clips can help keep your roof safe from damage in the event of a storm. The straps and buckles on your top assist in keeping your roof in place during a storm, so it has the most excellent chance of surviving. If your roof is extensively damaged, you must have it repaired or replaced by a reliable roofing company.
3. Install storm shutters
Use shutters or impact-resistant glass to protect your windows, doors, and skylights. Last-minute security can be provided by nailing plywood to window frames. When winds are strong enough, flying debris has the potential to break windows. Shattering glass poses a safety risk since it exposes your house to the elements. While hurricane-tempered glass windows are the best and most expensive choice, wooden boards such as plywood are an excellent alternative if you don’t have any.
4. Be on the lookout for downed power lines
Following hurricanes and other severe storms, downed power lines pose a danger. If there are damaged power lines or broken poles nearby, avoid stepping in puddles to prevent electrocuting. The same is true for your animals. Do not approach the unconscious person when someone is unconscious at or around a damaged power line pole. Avoid electrocution by staying away from the area and calling for assistance if necessary.
5. Avoid going outside unless necessary
A storm or hurricane can urge you to go outside and take in the sights, sounds, and smells of nature. It’s not a good idea. No matter how good your wind resistance is, you still run the danger of being pummeled with debris, pushed down by a mighty gale, or drowned by fast-moving floodwaters. Wait until the storm has passed and the authorities have said it is safe to go outdoors again to stay inside. Make sure you have things to do at home to prevent cabin fever from setting in and making you feel compelled to go outside.
If you haven’t started preparing for hurricane season yet, now is the time. Procrastination can lead to a shortage of non-perishable goods in your local shops as well as a shortage of petrol at your neighborhood gas station. It’s also inconvenient and hazardous to try to lock your house when high winds are howling outside. Remind your loved ones to remain safe by sharing this advice with them.
Meta title: Preparing for a Hurricane: 5 Safety Tips
Meta desc: There are moments when Mother Nature shows us who is in control. While you have little influence over when or where a storm will make landfall, you can control how much damage it causes.