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Why Preparing for a Hurricane is Crucial

Hurricanes are powerful tropical storms that form over tropical or subtropical waters. A tropical storm is labeled as a hurricane when the maximum sustained wind speeds reach 74 miles per hour. Hurricanes are categorized 1 through 5 based on wind speeds. The higher the category, the faster wind speed is expected, resulting in more the potential for the hurricane to cause damage.

Preparing for a hurricane is crucial because hurricanes can move toward land and bring heavy rain, storm surge (rise in water levels), rip currents, flooding, high winds, and tornadoes. These dangerous storms can cause damage in places that are several hundred miles inland.

In the United States, hurricanes can strike on both coasts, including the Atlantic Ocean, Gulf of Mexico, and the Caribbean Sea, as well as in the eastern and central North Pacific Ocean.

Hurricane season can vary from year to year but generally starts on June 1 and ends on November 30. Hurricane seasons can also vary on the level of activity, some being above-normal activity while others being classified as below-normal activity. It is important to monitor weather services and hurricane forecasts if you live in a hurricane region or have plans to travel to a hurricane region during this season. 

Impact of Hurricanes on Communities and Families

Hurricanes can cause devastating and long-lasting damage to communities and families. The impact of Hurricane Katrina could be felt in many communities around New Orleans more than 5 years after the event. In addition to the immediate damage to private homes and public infrastructure, longer-term damage from hurricanes includes population loss, economic disruptions, and chronic health issues such as post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), infectious and noninfectious diseases, and other medical problems.

Benefits of Being Well-Prepared

Effective hurricane preparedness by families and hurricane-resistant communities can ensure survival and significantly limit the long-term impact of a hurricane. 

The best time to prepare for a hurricane is before hurricane season starts. If you wait until there’s a hurricane warning, you may find the stores are empty, and you can’t get first aid kits and other items you need to keep your family and your home secure. 

In the following paragraphs, we’ll describe a checklist of things to do before, during, and after a hurricane to reduce your vulnerability to these disasters. 

Essential Steps to Prepare for a Hurricane

5 Steps to Prepare For Hurricane Season

• Contact your local emergency management office to find out if you are in a hurricane evacuation zone. You can also check this hurricane evacuation zone website. If you are in a hurricane-prone area, keep track of critical updates, alerts, and warnings from the National Weather Service and Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA).

• Put together a basic kit for emergencies, including non-perishable food, water, first aid kits, medications, flashlights, battery-powered radios, tools, and generators.

• Write a family disaster plan. The purpose of this plan is to tell the family what to do, where to go, and how to contact each other in an emergency situation. Keep this plan with your emergency supplies or in an easily accessible place. 

• Go over your insurance policies. Make sure your home and personal property have adequate flood insurance and coverage for hurricane damage. 

• Prepare your home by securing and sealing your roof, installing storm shutters, and securing or bringing outdoor items inside.

Create a Hurricane Preparedness Plan

Here is some of the information you should include in your family emergency plan:

• Home address and phone number

• Information about each family member, including:

  • Name

  • Important medical information

  • Contact information (mobile number, e-mail, social media)

• Schools, childcare facilities, caregivers, and workplaces:

  • Name and address

  • Mobile/emergency contact number

  • Website

  • Emergency pick-up plan

• Emergency contacts:

  • Name and address

  • Contact information (home phone number, mobile phone number, e-mail)

• Emergency meeting places:

  • Location

  • Instructions

• Medical information for each family member:

  • National Poison Control Helpline 1-800-222-1222

  • Doctors’ names and contact information

  • Allergy information

  • Prescriptions

  • Medical insurance provider and policy number

  • Veterinarian name and contact information

Build a Comprehensive Hurricane Kit

Your hurricane kit should contain all the items you might need to survive without water, power, gas, phone, and internet services for several days until first responders can reach you. Purchase the following basic supplies as well as additional items depending on your family’s unique needs. Build a hurricane kit for your home, workplace, and car.

Food and Water

• Water for drinking and sanitation (Ready.gov recommends one gallon per person per day, enough to last several days) 

• Food (non-perishable food such as canned goods to last several days for every member of the family)

• Infant formula and bottles

• Food and water for pets

• Paper plates, cups, towels, and plastic utensils

Sanitation and Clothes

• Moist towelettes, disinfectant wipes, soap, and hand sanitizer for personal hygiene

• A sleeping bag or warm blanket for each member of the household

• A change of clothes and sturdy shoes 

Tools and Gadgets

• Cell phone with chargers and battery backup

• NOAA Weather Radio with tone alert

• Battery-powered or hand-crank radio 

• Whistle 

• Flashlights and extra batteries

• Matches in a waterproof container

• Fire extinguisher

• Tools such as pliers or wrenches

• Can opener

• Plastic sheeting, scissors, and duct tape

• Dust masks

• Garbage bags

Documents

• Local maps

• Cash 

• Important documents (identification, bank account records, insurance policies) with hard copies in a waterproof, portable container and soft copies saved electronically

Entertainment for Shelter in Place Orders

• Paper, pens, and pencils

• Books, games, and puzzles for children and adults

Suggested Items in First Aid Kits

You can purchase ready-made first aid kits or build your own. Remember, stores and pharmacies may be closed in a hurricane-affected area and you may not get the chance to purchase a first-aid kit after a hurricane warning. 

First Aid Kit

Your hurricane first-aid kit should contain the following items:

• 2-inch and 4-inch sterile gauze pads (4-6 each size) 

• 2-inch and 3-inch sterile roller bandages (3 rolls each) 

• Triangular bandages (3) 

• Sterile adhesive bandages in assorted sizes 

• Hypo-allergenic adhesive tape 

• Antiseptic wipes or solution

• Moistened wipes or towelettes 

• Cotton balls or cotton swabs

• Latex gloves (2 pairs) 

• Petroleum jelly or other lubricant

• Tweezers

• Needle 

• Scissors 

• Thermometer 

• Cold packs

• Rubber tourniquet to stop bleeding

• Tongue blades (2) 

• Aluminum finger splints

• Bulb suction device

• Safety pins (assorted sizes)

• Plastic bags (variety of sizes)

• Soap or hand sanitizer

• Surgical masks

• Medicine cup or syringe

Medication Kit

You should have a to-go-kit with 3 days of medications in case you are told to evaluate. You should also have a stay-at-home kit with at least two weeks of medications. Keep all medications in a child-proof container along with other necessary medical equipment or supplies. Also, keep a list of your medications and dosages with the supplies. 

Non-prescription medications in your first aid kit should include:

• OTC pain relievers such as acetaminophen (Tylenol), and ibuprofen (Advil, Motrin)

• Aspirin for chest pain

• Antacids 

• Laxatives

• Anti-diarrheal medication

• Antihistamines such as diphenhydramine (Benadryl)

• Cough and cold remedies

• Hydrocortisone cream

• Antibiotic ointment

• Hydrogen peroxide for disinfection

• Sterile saline to flush or irrigate

• Calamine lotion

• Aloe vera gel 

• Epinephrine auto-injector (if prescribed)

Note: Regularly replace expired medicines and keep your kit updated.

Additional Items 

You can also include items in your tailor-made hurricane kit designed for your family’s needs, for instance:

• Diaper wipes and diaper rash cream for infants

• Feminine personal hygiene items

• Prescription eyeglasses 

• Contact lenses and contact lens solution

Where to Store a Hurricane Kit?

Store your hurricane kit or first-aid kit in a cool, dry place that is easy to get to and out of reach of children. All family members should know the designated place where the kit is stored. Build a stay-at-home kit in case you need to shelter in place as well as a grab-and-go kit in case local officials give evacuation orders. Make sure your workplace and car are also similarly equipped.

Regularly Update and Maintain Your Hurricane Kit 

Hurricane kits can go years without being used. Mark your basic and first aid kit with the last date it was updated. Check your emergency supplies and first aid kits regularly to ensure the following:

• All items are in working order.

• Expired items are replaced. 

• The kits are updated to account for your family’s changing needs.

Prepare for Emergencies

The American Red Cross offers first aid and CPR courses for adults and children. Contact your local chapter for information on age-appropriate classes for your family. These resources can help every member of your household understand how to use first-aid supplies and techniques.

It’s also important to know evacuation routes in case local officials give evacuation orders. Additionally, you should make plans for sheltering in place. For instance, you should know which places in your home and community will be safest in a hurricane. Don’t forget to take into account any extra time that people with disabilities may need to evacuate. 

How Do I Prepare My Home for a Hurricane?

Here are some tips that can help to limit the damage to your home in a hurricane:

• Choose hip roofs instead of gable roofs, as they slope upwards from all sides and are more stable.

• Install your water heater, HVAC system, and electric panel at an elevated level.

• Consider purchasing a sump pump with battery backup.

• Find out how water can be accessed, collected, and stored on your property in case of a disaster.

• Prepare for power outages with generators and backup batteries. Learn to install and use the generators safely.

• Designate the best place to shelter in place to protect your family from high winds and/or flooding, such as a designated storm shelter, interior room, or higher ground.

Fortify Your Property Against Flooding and Hurricane-Force Winds

• Bring outdoor items inside, such as trash cans and lawn furniture.

• Secure objects that cannot be brought inside, such as propane tanks and gas grills.

• Cut, trim, or remove trees that could get knocked over onto your home. 

• Protect glass doors and windows with storm shutters or pre-cut plywood.

• Clean out gutters, drains, and downspouts.

• Stock materials such as sandbags, plastic sheeting, and duct tape.

Post-Hurricane Safety and Recovery

Assess Damage with Safety Checks

If you are evacuated, do not return to your home until local authorities tell you it is safe to enter your community and home. If your home suffered damage from hurricane-force winds or flooding, it will need to be carefully inspected and thoroughly cleaned before you can return. 

Ensure a Safe Return to Normal Life

• Avoid touching fallen poles, power lines, or electrical wires. You can get electrocuted.

• Do not come in contact with floodwaters. They may contain toxins, bacteria, sewage, and harmful chemicals that can cause diseases.

• Never use propane, gasoline, charcoal, or natural gas heating devices indoors or in basements, garages, campers, or tents, even if you place them near an open window. This can result in carbon monoxide poisoning. This gas is invisible and odor-free and kills fast. Go to an area of fresh air immediately if you feel sick, weak, or dizzy after reentering your home after a hurricane. 

• Throw out any food that is wet or was unrefrigerated during the disaster. Talk to your healthcare provider about using medications that need to be refrigerated.

• Do not drink tap water until local officials tell you it is safe to do so.

Tips on Cleaning Up Safely After a Hurricane

• Wear protective equipment such as sturdy boots, gloves, and goggles when cleaning your home after a hurricane.

• Clean and disinfect anything that came in contact with flood waters. If in doubt, throw it out.

• Work with a partner to clear heavy debris. Ensure you know how to use equipment such as chainsaws. 

• Take frequent breaks when you’re cleaning up. Overworking yourself can cause serious health problems. Heart attacks are a leading cause of death in hurricane-hit communities. 

Develop a Community Hurricane Preparedness Plan

Establish Communication Channels for Hurricane Season

Here’s what you can do to stay informed during hurricane season:

• Sign up for free emergency alerts from local government agencies, the National Weather Service, and the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA).

• Monitor local news and weather reports for hurricane warnings.

• Make sure you understand the different types of alerts and how to respond to them. A watch means to be prepared, and a warning means to take action. Alerts you may receive during hurricane season include:

  • Extreme Wind Warning

  • Tropical Storm Watch & Warning

  • Hurricane Watch & Warning

  • Flash Flood Watch & Warning

  • Storm Surge Watch & Warning

  • Flood Watch & Warning

• Keep a battery-powered radio in your hurricane kit.

• Plan a way to charge your cell phone in case of power outages with a backup battery or generator.

Engage with Neighbors and Local Authorities

In addition to keeping your family safe before, during, and after a hurricane, it’s also important to engage with your neighbors and reach out to vulnerable individuals such as seniors or low-income families. By donating your time and money to local disaster relief groups, you can help your community recover more quickly from a hurricane and build resilience for future disasters. 

Seek Community Resources and Support Systems

The damage caused by a hurricane can leave you with many strong emotions and feelings. Take care of yourself by eating healthy and getting enough rest and sleep to deal with these stressors. You can call the free Disaster Distress Helpline at 1-800-985-5990 or text “TalkWithUs’ to 66746 if you feel like you need to talk to someone.