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If you have never navigated a hurricane season or if you are considering moving to Florida but are unsure of what hurricane preparedness looks like, we are here to help!
Hurricane preparedness is an important part of being a Florida homeowner. Hurricane season officially begins on June 1 and runs through November 30 each year with the season’s peak activity between mid-August and mid-October.
There are plenty of things you can do in advance of hurricane season to prepare your home and family and still enjoy all the benefits of being a Florida homeowner.
Hurricane Preparedness Checklist
1. Prepare Your Home
- Ensure that any weak or dead trees or limbs near the home are removed. Make sure any trees or limbs overhanging your home are trimmed.
- Check for any loose roof tiles or shingles and reinforce them as needed. Make sure your gutters are securely attached, clean, and clear of debris to prevent clogging and potential water damage to your home.
- Have a plan in place for reinforcing doors and windows with pre-cut plywood that can be nailed in place. If your home is in a designated hurricane wind zone, you have the option to add storm shutters for your windows with your new home purchase. This is a prime opportunity for sealing and painting any stucco cracks or penetrations on the exterior of your home to prevent water intrusion during the driving winds and rain.
- Have an indoor location to store outdoor furniture, play equipment, grills or heavy planters that could become projectiles due to high winds. Consider moving indoor furniture away from windows or covering it with tarps, and move irreplaceable items to a second story if your home has one.
- Prepare an inventory list of items in your home.
2. Prepare Your Family
Collect your emergency kit at start of the season and keep it stocked year round.
Pro Tip: Don’t wait until a hurricane is already on its way, as most stores will be low on stock of these items as others rush to get these last-minute.
- Water: one gallon per person, per day (3-day supply for evacuation, 2-week supply for home).Food: non-perishable, easy-to-prepare items (3-day supply for evacuation, 2-week supply for home).
- Flashlight.
- Battery-powered or hand-crank radio (NOAA Weather Radio, if possible).
- Extra batteries.
- First aid kit.
- Medications (7-day supply) and medical items.
- Multi-purpose tool, like a Swiss Army knife.
- Sanitation and personal hygiene items.
- Copies of personal documents (medication list and pertinent medical information, proof of address, deed/lease to home, passports, birth certificates, insurance policies).
- Cell phone chargers.
- Family and emergency contact information.
- Extra cash (ATMs might be inoperable).
- Extra fuel for generator and car.
Depending on your family’s requirements, you may also need to include medical care items, baby supplies, pet supplies, and extra car and house keys.
Additional supplies might include towels, plastic sheeting, duct tape, scissors, and work gloves.
3. Prepare Yourself
Stay educated! Ensure you are signed up for notifications from local city and county agencies.
For a full list of resources, shelter locations, additional preparedness plans and links for your local emergency agencies, visit floridadisaster.org. Also, visit FEMA.gov or NOAA for additional assistance with hurricane preparedness, emergency alerts, and recovery operations.
As a Florida homebuilder for more than 40 years of experience building quality homes in Florida, we understand Florida’s storm potential and build our homes to meet or exceed the latest building codes, to help protect your family and home in case of a storm.
To learn more about our company and our dedication to providing you a quality new home, designed for your safety and security, visit Why M/I.
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