Hurricane season starts June 1st and lasts through November 30th. During this current hurricane season, the 11 year drought of hurricanes hitting Florida ended with the West Coast of Florida being affected by hurricane Hermine. Hurricanes bring a lot of security risks along with it. Since security is of the utmost importance (even during hurricanes) here are a few tips to keeping your home and family secure.
Have a plan
Having a plan should be one of the first things you do prior to hurricane season. Knowing where to go and what to do in the event of a hurricane allows you to be proactive and ready to react in the case of a storm. Some important items to plan ahead with are:
- Knowing locations of hurricane shelters in your area (if you have pets, knowing whether they accept pets is important as well, as is finding specific shelters that do)
- Determining safe, inland evacuation routes.
- Ensuring you have emergency equipment that works (ex. Flashlights, generators, and battery powered equipment with backup batteries for each individual item).
- Review your insurance policy to make sure it will cover your property in the event of a hurricane
- Get nonperishable food and enough water for everyone to last for at least 1 week (don’t forget about your pet if you have one).
Reinforce your home
It is always a good idea to reinforce your home to be able to withstand the effects of a hurricane. Investing in hurricane proof windows, hurricane shutters, and sturdy doors can help minimize the damage done to your home in the event of a hurricane. In the event that a hurricane will affect your home, it is important to bring patio furniture or other loose items in your yard inside, or secure it by tying it down to make sure it stays in place.
During the storm
During a storm, it is important to stay in an interior room with no doors or windows. Use of candles should be avoided during a storm. Keep your weather radio on to receive up to date information and to stay informed of whether the storm is over, or if the calm is temporary.
Be patient
The eye of the storm can be deceiving, causing those in a hurricane to believe that the storm is over. However, the storm will resume as soon as the eye passes and in most cases causes more damage. Wait inside until you are positive the storm has passed.
After the storm
After the storm has completely passed, if you must leave make sure you secure your property to the best of your ability, locking doors and leaving shutters on (if possible). Looting is one of the leading property crimes to occur after a natural disaster, so ensuring that your property is secure is of the utmost importance.
Apex Security
For more hurricane tips or if you have questions about how you can keep your family and property safe and secure contact APEX security at (407) 846-1435.