With Hurricane Ian headed for Florida, it’s important for you to be prepared for anything. With any storm, there is a potential for power outages, flooding, leaks, damage to your home, and much more. What comes with that is ensuring you have adequate supplies and your house is secured, so you’re ready for everything – this includes sufficient food and water, flashlights and extra batteries, and more. Here are some tips to get ready for the hurricane.
Preparation is Key
When a hurricane hits, the aftermath can be very unpredictable – you don’t know how long your power will be out, how long clean-up will take, and how long you may be stuck at home. it’s important to have a kit full of supplies so you don’t run out of necessary items. Some things to consider, as recommended by StateOfFlorida.com are:
- Non-perishable food and water to last you at least 3 days – you can fill the bathtub and buckets with water in addition to jugs and bottles
- A manual can opener
- Flashlights and extra batteries
- A first-aid kit, plus any medications you may need
- Personal hygiene items
- Candles, and a lighter or matches
- A waterproof container for money and important documents
- Books, magazines, and games
- Pet and/or baby supplies, if applicable
- An evacuation plan
- A filled gas tank and extra gas-filled cans for generators
- Extra cash from the bank or ATM should they not be accessible for some time following the storm
Get Your Home Ready
Your home will see the most impact from the storm and it’s important to make sure the windows, roof, and yard are set. Some things to prepare:
- Put up your storm shutters. These are important as they provide an immense amount of protection to your windows. If you don’t have these, wood is a good alternative to use to cover your windows. Impact windows are also important to consider, as they add an extra layer of protection during the storm.
- When it comes to your roof, make sure it’s been checked for any leaks and patched accordingly.
- Trim trees and bushes to reduce the amount of debris that could fly around the yard.
- Clean out the gutters so the rain has someplace to go when it runs off the roof.
- Consider purchasing sandbags to secure doors and other entryways to protect your home from flooding.
- Bring in all outdoor furniture, decorations, kid’s toys, and garbage cans. And anchor down any trampolines to prevent them from flying away in strong winds.
Your safety is the most important in any storm and by being prepared with the suggestions above, there are a few fewer things to worry about when the storm hits.