Weathering the Storm: How to Prepare for a Hurricane

Everything you and your family need to prepare for a hurricane just in time for hurricane season

Hurricane season officially kicked off June 1 and ends November 1.  That’s why now is the perfect time to prepare for a hurricane. And after living in Florida for a long time, I realize I sometimes don’t even worry too much about hurricanes anymore. For me that means, get ready because a hurricane in FL is virtually inevitable.

As a mom, ensuring your family’s safety during a hurricane can be overwhelming, especially with kids, regardless of their ages. It’s important to prepare for a hurricane and having a clear plan can make all the difference. If you’re not sure where to begin I’ll cover everything you need to keep your family safe and sane during a hurricane. If you want to know what made me an expert on hurricanes, I’m not. But I did experience Hurricane Irma while my husband was out of town and had to figure it out. Unlike me, you now have someone who has had a lot of trial and error before getting it right. 

 How to Prepare for a Hurricane

Preparing for a hurricane involves several steps to ensure your family’s safety and minimize potential damage. Here’s what I’ve learned:

Get Hurricane and Flood Insurance: (this is only applicable IF a hurricane isn’t already looming) Homeowners insurance typically doesn’t cover rising water, mold, mildew, or sewage damage. Make sure you have adequate hurricane and flood insurance. After Hurricane Matthew, can you believe 40% of insurance claims were closed without being paid. It’s crucial to have the right coverage.

Store Important Documents: Keep important documents like Social Security cards, birth certificates, passports, and insurance cards in a high, dry place to protect them from water damage. This is a year-round tip, you never know when you’ll have to flee at a moment’s notice during a hurricane, make sure you can easily grab and go with all your important documents. I store all of my important family documents in this fire and waterproof protective case. 

Check Tree Health: I know this one sounds crazy. Why do you care about tree health when a hurricane is on its way? Trust me on this one. It’s all good till a tree hits your house or car. Be sure to Inspect and cut any damaged trees. This can prevent them from falling and causing damage during high winds. We like to use these loppers for tree trimming. Pro Tip: Take photos of your home and belongings and keep receipts, which can be helpful for insurance claims. 

Gather these Essential Items to prepare for a hurricane:

Get Gas or Charge your Electric Vehicle: You never know when or if you’ll need to evacuate don’t get caught without gas or a charge. Often times, gas stations are closed or full with people waiting to get gas. You don’t want to have to add that to your to-do list in the middle of a hurricane. If you need to leave quickly not doing this most definitely slow you down. Pro Tip: Even if you don’t need to evacuate you can use your car to charge electronics if there is no other way.

Get Cash: This one is a sure-fire just in case. You may need cash because machines are down or to simply get a stranger to help you get your car out of a ditch or anything that is easily persuadable with cash. Be sure to get small bills and be prepared for everything Murphy’s Law throws at you.

Water: (This goes without saying, yes,  you really need it) Store 1 gallon of water per person per day. For a family of four, that means 12 gallons for three days. (water dance)

First Aid Kit: Make sure you personalize yours with any prescriptions for you, your family and pets. You can get this “they thought of everything” First Aid Kit and rest easy knowing you’ll have everything you need in case of an emergency. Non-perishable Food: Stock up on items that don’t require refrigeration or cooking. Please don’t take this one for granted. Pro Tip: Get two, one for the house and one for your car. That way you’re never without in a crunch. 

Flash Lights and Batteries: One thing’s for sure, when the power goes out, you’ll need flashlights. And what you don’t want is to get caught slipping without flashlights. For years now my husband has stocked the house with magnetic flashlights. It might not seem like a reasonable item but let me tell you. Having a magnetic flashlight secured to the side of the fridge, washer and dryer and the rack in the garage has helped us navigate unexpected outages. And after having such a great experience with the smaller flashlights we now own a few of these flashlights that we pull out during outages to light almost the entire bottom floor. What that means is no need for candles that could be a fire hazard. Just make sure you keep your batteries stocked and you and the family will have adequate light during the night when needed. 

Charcoal Grill and Charcoal: If you lose power,  a charcoal grill will be a game changer. One you can still cook and some of the food in the fridge won’t go to waste – which is a win in my book. You don’t have to splurge on the grill, this small grill takes up minimal space but gets the job done and yes any charcoal will do. Pro tip: Get matches those electric lighters will do you no good once they die. 

Rainboots: Keep them accessible for everyone in the family. It may seem like a small and trivial item in the scheme of things but trust me, they come in handy. I recommend knee-length, no point having boots short enough for the water to seep in. And if nothing else, when it’s safe out, you can take the kids out to splash in the puddles. By the time it’s over you’ll want out of the house. (link to the other blog post) Besides, everyone needs a good pair of rain boots! These will do the trick and are super cute rain boots for women. Here are a great pair of rain boots for kids. 

Games: You may be stuck inside for some time depending on the severity of the hurricane so please put together a game box. nothing elaborate or too crazy just a few favorite games or toys (for younger kids), to keep them busy. Time moves very slowly when you don’t have electricity.  Need help getting started. 

• Uno is always my go-to. I will warn you if you haven’t played in a while, that swap hand card gets everyone worked up. 
• Skip Bo
• Family funshun from the makers of Last Couple Standing, a new game that is so much fun and will keep the family on their toes for hours. 
• Tic Tac Toe

Surge protector and battery backup: I learned about this surge protector from my gamer friend. All I can say is, this is worth its weight in gold. When a hurricane is headed our way, I pull this gem out and plug it in beforehand so it can charge.  If we lose power this surge protector will still charge small appliances, think phones, iPads and some bigger appliances WITHOUT electricity. Trust me when I say surge protector is the hurricane cheat code. 

Generator: If the electricity goes out for more than a few hours a generator will save your life. With ours, I was able to run the tv, and refrigerator AND let the neighbors hook up their refrigerator too. If you live in an area that’s prone to hurricanes, I promise it’s worth the splurge. 

What to Tell Your Children

Preparing for a hurricane can be just as stressful for your children as it is for you. It’s important to communicate with your kids about the hurricane and your preparation in a way that’s calm and reassuring. If you stress, they stress. Explain what a hurricane is and what your family’s plan is. For older kids talk to them about the importance of safety and the serious precautions that need to take place. I find i have to over-explain to my tween and teen because for some reason they think they’re invincible. Mock campouts for little ones can be a fun way to prepare, helping them understand the situation without fear.

Know and Share Your Family Evacuation Plan

First things first, check to see if your neighborhood is in an evacuation zone. If so, you’ll need to plan not only what you need, but where you’ll go. Develop a clear evacuation plan and communicate it with your family. I mean make sure the know the ins and outs of what to do.  Identify your evacuation zone using resources like [Jaxready.com](https://jaxready.com). Take heed and leave if you’re in an evacuation zone. Here are a couple things to consider:

1. Evacuation Routes: Plan your routes ahead of time. Keep gas cards and cash under the carpet in your car for emergencies.

2. Shelters: Know the locations of local shelters. Remember, bridges may start to close at 40mph sustained winds.  

Pre-select an option 1 and an option 2 for your shelter choice, just in case your first choice fills up quickly. This is an important part of your hurricane preparation.  If you’re going to a shelter make sure you take blankets/sleeping bags and pillows for each family member. Its also important to do your research. Does your shelter choice allow pets, equipped for the elderly or those with special needs. In some instances, you have to register for those shelters. These are all things you don’t want to try to figure out during an evacuation. 

Communication of Family Evacuation Plan

Make sure every family member knows the plan. Designate a meeting point and establish a way to communicate if you get separated.

Lessons Learned

Whether it’s your first or 101 hurricane, don’t assume every hurricane will affect you the same way. Each storm is different, and comparing them can lead to a false sense of security. If the storm is upgraded to a hurricane (sustained winds of 74 mph or more), it’s time to take it seriously. And don’t, I repeat don’t stay in your home if you’re being told to evacuate. Take heed to the evacuation mandates first responders will not risk their lives to save yours becuase you didn’t comply. 

Following these steps and have a solid plan, to ensure your family’s safety and peace of mind during hurricane season. Stay informed, stay prepared, and stay safe.

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