The wind is howling; rain is pouring through the windows; trees are falling down all around you! Well, hopefully you’re not experiencing any of that during the next hurricane that strikes near you because you were prepared.
Hurricane season began on June 1st and runs through November 30th, so it’s important to make sure you and your family are ready before a storm strikes. This season’s forecast calls for 8-13 named storms, with 1-2 of them potentially turning into major hurricanes. The four most important things you can do before a hurricane are to create a family hurricane plan, build a hurricane kit, know your evacuation route information, and keep informed of developing weather situations.
Make sure you start your planning early, because it will be too late to get ready once a storm is on its way. Make sure you and your families create an evacuation plan and assemble your evacuation kit now so you are prepared. Here are some things to keep in mind when getting prepared.
Hurricane evacuation kit:
- Assemble your kit well in advance of a hurricane because you might have to evacuate at a moment’s notice
- If the state issues a mandatory evacuation, follow their orders and know the evacuation routes and where the evacuation centers are and which ones are pet-friendly
- Have enough food, water and supplies to last for at least 72 hours
- Water- one gallon per person, per day
- Non-perishable food
- Can opener
- Prescription medication
- Pet food, if you have pets
- Battery-powered radio
- Flashlight with extra batteries
- First Aid Kit
- Whistle
- Maps with evacuation routes
- Anything you need for your children, including activities
- Important documents
Hurricane evacuation plan:
- Determine a meeting place and a secondary meeting place
- Have everyone’s phone numbers, including out-of-town contacts, written down in case your phone dies and you have to borrow someone else’s
- Put all valuables into clear, plastic bags high off the floor
- If the storm is going to affect your area badly, leave before it becomes mandatory or it will be very difficult to travel
- Have maps with the local evacuation routes clearly marked
- If you have time, board up any windows to your house that you can
- Bring any loose furniture indoors from outside that could blow away
- Turn off electricity and water
If you are stuck at home during a hurricane:
- Move everyone, including pets, into an interior room with no windows
- Bring your hurricane evacuation kit supplies with you
- Bring in a mattress to cover the door
Phone Numbers and Websites:
- Red Cross: 1-866-438-4636/RedCross.org
- Public Information Phone Systems:1-866-246-0133
- S.C. Emergency Management Division: SCEMD.org
- National Hurricane Center: NHC.NOAA.GOV
- Traffic Information: SCTraffic.org