What precautions do you need to take to be prepared for a hurricane?

Answer 1

You want to take recommended precautions at the time of a hurricane watch, but avoid watching the news continually; you will lose your perspective. Most people have an emergency supply of food; collect a first aid kit, any meds that your family takes regularly, some cash to get you through a few days and fill up your car with gas. Avoid spending lots of money on supplies. Fill up your freezer with large containers of water to become ice. Locate your camp stove, propane and lantern. If you have an interior closet or bathroom, clear it out so your family can gather. Come up with a plan to evacuate--if you live in a large city, you need to leave sooner than later: most people got stuck on the road during Katrina. We stayed for the 1983 hurricane, Alicia, which was a Category 2-3. We did not have electricity for 5 days. And, being somewhat inland, did not have a tidal surge, just tornadoes.

Answer 2

Make sure u fill up your gas tank. Water, clean your yard(if there's time), have cash, non perishable food items, candles, lighter fluid, charcoal, lighters or matches, something to entertain yourself, if you can get a generator, cook all frozen food if you're not sure the lights will be off, buy flash lights....get sand if you're in an area that floods

Answer 3

Assuming you choose to remain in your home during the storm (which is strongly NOT advised), there are a number of steps you should take to stay as safe and comfortable as possible. But you need to be aware that during hurricanes, it is not the winds that cause the majority of death and destruction, but water/flooding from tidal surge. That is why there are mandatory evacuations. Once the tidal surge hits, there is no escape!
Board up all windows to help prevent broken windows, which will also help prevent further damage to the interior of your home, and will help prevent injury from broken glass.

Secure all outdoor furniture to reduce the amount of damage to it, and to help prevent it from being thrown against your (or someone else's) home, and causing more damage to the exterior of the home and the outdoor furniture.

Move all electronics to an upper floor if possible.

Turn off gas to prevent gas leaks from broken or damaged gas lines.

Stock up on battery powered flashlights and candles, and have a battery powered radio.

Stock up on bottled water, as well as non-perishable foods that can be prepared and eaten without having to be cooked. Be sure to have enough food and water to last for everyone in the home for a week, including pets. And don't forget a can opener and a clean, sharp pocket knife.

If you have an infant on a bottle, have enough bottles on hand so that you won't have to worry about how you can wash them if there is no clean water. And be sure to either have single use sized cans of formula, or an ice chest with plenty of ice to store any opened cans of formula.

Stock up on anti-bacterial hand wipes, gel hand cleaners and paper towels in the event there is no water for washing or bathing.

Have a two week supply of any prescription medications, as well as personal care items (tooth brushes and paste, hygiene products, etc.).

Have a well stocked first aid kit in the event of injuries. Disinfectants, antiseptics, antibiotic creams, bandages, cotton balls, aspirin, Tylenol, and a thermometer are some of the basics you need.

Make sure all vehicles have a full gas tank.

Have several changes of clothing for each member of the household, and if you have a baby still in diapers, have a two week supply of disposable diapers on hand.

Select the innermost part of your home, on the ground floor, to ride out the storm, but not a basement or cellar. In the event of flooding, being in those areas of your home may make it impossible to escape.

Stay away from all windows and glass doors!

Have mattresses, blankets, pillows, etc. already in place before the storm hits.

Have an ax or a hatchet with you in the event you do end up having to climb through the attic up to the rooftop, especially if your attic has no windows. Many people have drowned in their attics because they had no way of escaping once the water reached that high.

It would also be a good idea to purchase a bedside commode in the event the water and Plumbing is rendered out of order during the storm. You can line the receptacle bucket with small garbage bags to make clean-up much easier and more sanitary. These can be purchased from any medical supply store, as well as many drug stores, and they are not expensive.

Have a supply of books, puzzles, toys, etc. in the event the electricity is off, especially if you have children.

You may want to purchase a portable generator, which costs about $500 for an average sized one, and make sure you have plenty of fuel to run it. This is especially important if someone in the household is on oxygen or other electrical powered medical equipment; it will also keep the foods in your refrigerator/freezer from spoiling in the event of an electrical outage. But if you do use a generator, be sure to follow all instructions and safety precautions that come with it, and do not operate it indoors (carbon monoxide!). And be sure to keep the fuel for it stored outside of the home!

Fill all bath tubs with clean water; it can be used for sponge baths, flushing toilets, etc. But if there are young children or pets in the home, be sure the door is kept securely closed at all times to prevent a child or pet from falling in the tub and drowning. A young child can drown in two inches of water!

Go over emergency instructions with everyone in the household such as everyone staying together, away from all windows, etc.

Also, if there are several members in the household, develop an "accounting system", where everyone is accounted for at all times in the event the storm gets really intense. Since tornadoes are common during hurricanes, this system is extremely important.

Since water/flooding caused by tidal surge is the leading cause of death and destruction in hurricanes, it is crucial to be aware of your surroundings. If you observe water coming into your house, get to an upper floor immediately.

If you have pets that stay outside, bring them in during the storm; they deserve safety and comfort, too.

Have enough cash on hand to last for a while in the event you can't get to the bank or an ATM.

Put all important papers and documents (birth certificates, drivers licenses, insurance information, etc.) in a water proof zip lock bag and keep it with you, or at least a copy of these. Leave a bit of air in the bag before closing; in the event of flooding it will help it to float, making it easier to find. You may even want to tie the bag securely to something stable, such as a door knob to prevent it from floating away and becoming lost. If you have a safe that you keep these in, you still need to put them in a zip lock bag to help keep them dry.

It would also be a good idea to have a fully charged cell phone with you so you will have a way to call emergency services if needed, and to contact family and friends to let them know if you are all ok. Just keep in mind though, that the cell towers may not be working for a while, so it would be a good idea to have a back-up plan to notify your loved ones.

Do not wait until the last day to purchase supplies (food, water, etc.) or you run the risk of there being very little, or even none, of the supplies left that you need. It's a good idea to stock up on all non-perishables at the beginning of hurricane season.

Keep in mind that food items or special equipment you purchase in preparation for a hurricane will not be wasted expenses. The food and bottled water can still be consumed after the crisis is past, which is actually recommended since even non perishables have expiration dates. And the materials and equipment (such as a generator, boarding materials for windows and beside commode) can be stored for use during each hurricane season, especially if you live in a hurricane prone area. These items can be purchased during the 'off season' when they are on sale, and stored until they are needed. They can also be used at other times, such as during the occasional power outages that we all experience at times. The cost of an average sized generator isn't any more than the cost to replace the entire contents of the average family's refrigerator and freezer, so this is actually a good investment.

As a Survivor of two hurricanes and dealing with the extreme discomfort and inconvenience of no power, I strongly recommend that you print this , rather than trying to rely on memory to take all precautions, and store it in an easily accessible place and save for the next hurricane season.

Answer 4

Unplug televisions and get flashlights with batteries ready

Answer 5

What precautions should be taken after a hurricane hits?

Answer 6

Go somewhere where there you are not near a hurricane.

Answer 7

bottles of water, flashlights, batteries,warm food,candles and blankets bored games a radio that does not need batteries and that's all

Answer 8

after a hurricane you should clean up

Answer 9

by stacking up on supplies