Make Your Family Hurricane Or Tornado Safe

For all the destruction hurricanes and tornadoes can cause, a significant amount of damage would be reduced if only people took some necessary safety precautions. The following are some suggestions to help you make your home and family hurricane and tornado safe:

• Have a plan of action. For a hurricane, know evacuation routes, know the safest and strongest areas of your house and have a plan for contacting family members.
• For a tornado, know the safest areas of your house and how to contact family members.
• Keep emergency supplies on hand, including extra medical supplies, nonperishable food and bottled water (a powerful storm could interrupt your utilities' services for hours or even days).
• Be sure to keep a portable radio, some flashlights and fresh batteries on hand. If you lose electricity, your only contact with the outside world (and important safety instructions) will be your radio. And you'll need the flashlights until your power is restored.
• Keep repair supplies on hand. You'll need some plywood (to protect windows) or at least some tape (taping windows diagonally helps keep them from shattering, but it's not as effective as plywood). By having tools, nails, tape, etc., you'll be prepared to repair any storm damage immediately. Early repairs will often spare you from further damage.
• Take an inventory of your property. Take pictures and make detailed descriptions. Keep it up to date. If you make a detailed, accurate inventory of your property, your insurance company will be able to help you recover your losses faster and more completely. And, make sure you understand your insurance policy completely. Certain policies may not cover certain disasters.
• Work with me to decide which is the best coverage for your particular needs.
• Keep copies of important documents. Papers like deeds, birth certificates, etc., should be copied, with the originals stored in a safe place (waterproof container or a bank safe deposit box).
• Some hurricane precautions: Because of flooding risks from the prolonged, torrential rains associated with hurricanes, be aware of the elevation of your home (above sea level), as well as safety routes out of town and the locations of the nearest shelters.
• An important reminder: Don't put off any of these precautions. You won't have time to do them once a watch or warning has been issued. Even though a hurricane watch or warning gives you many hours' or even days' notice, roads and stores will be packed with people trying to leave the area or trying to stock up on supplies. Either way, it makes for potentially dangerous traffic jams and a lot of empty store shelves. Your best bet is to have supplies ready before the trouble arises.

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