Content

• To step
• Part 1 of 3: Preparation
• Part 2 of 3: Weathering the storm
• Part 3 of 3: Starting the rebuild
• Tips
• Necessities

A hurricane is defined as a tropical or subtropical storm with wind speeds exceeding 74 mph. These storms can develop quickly from minor thunderstorms during hurricane season (usually from late summer to early fall), so it's worth always being prepared for this. To survive a hurricane, you need to know how to prepare for it, how to weather the storm, and what precautions to take when it passes.

To step

Part 1 of 3: Preparation

1. Be prepared if you live in an area where hurricanes are common. Do you live in a state in the US where there are many hurricanes, such as Florida, Georgia or the Carolinas? Agencies such as the Federal Disaster Response Agency (FEMA) and the Meteorology and Oceanography Agency (NOAA) recommend preparing for the start of the hurricane season, June 1. In your preparations, include a "family contingency plan" and an "emergency supply package" that can be quickly removed by the family.
   • A family contingency plan explains what to do in the event of an emergency. For example, plan the emergency evacuation and provide different routes in case certain routes become unusable. Decide where to meet if you are separated.
   • Organize exercises to teach your family members how to turn off water, gas and electricity. Make sure even the youngest knows how to call emergency services.
   • Provide an emergency supply package. It must contain the basic things to survive at least 72 hours, such as food, water, a first-aid kit and light.
   • Once the wind gets to tropical strength, you can no longer prepare and you have to focus on survival.
2. Think about purchasing a generator. A generator ensures that you have electricity after a storm subsides, until electricity is available again. Place it somewhere where it does not rain and where it is safe in case of flooding. Learn how to use it and provide good ventilation.
   • Always make sure a generator is on the ground in a dry place.
   • Never plug a portable generator into a regular wall outlet or into your home's wiring as it can provide a reverse current to the electrical cables.
   • To avoid the risk of carbon monoxide poisoning, always use generators outside or near doors and windows.
   • If you are unsure how to use a generator, ask the seller to give you a demonstration.
   • Generators require regular maintenance and testing. Follow the instructions carefully to avoid it not working when you need it most.
3. Buy manually powered radios and flashlights. Electricity will most likely fail during a major hurricane and you will not have access to communications or light. Have battery or kinetic energy radios and flashlights to hand.
   • You can find out the latest news about the hurricane via the radio.
   • Buy lights that run on batteries or with kinetic energy. These use mechanical energy that comes from sources such as hand cranks and never run out of energy.
   • Light sticks are also a safe alternative. Since the risk of gas leaks is high during a storm, you have to be very careful with candles.
   • Make sure you always have a large supply of batteries that are kept in a waterproof box.
4. If possible, provide a panic room in your home. A panic chamber is a structure designed to withstand the criteria for extreme weather events such as a tornado or hurricane set by the federal government. They are often located in an inner space in the house. People hiding in a certified panic room have a high chance of escaping injury or death in severe weather.
   • Residential panic rooms are "reinforced". This means that they were reinforced to withstand high wind speeds with a reinforced or reinforced concrete ceiling, reinforced or reinforced concrete floor, walls and other features.
   • Panic rooms can be added to a home or converted. You should make sure it is accessible, provides water and other essentials and is relatively comfortable for the occupants. Bathrooms are often used for this.
   • Is a panic room too expensive? The federal government provides grants and other funding programs.
5. Secure your property in advance. Most of the damage done by a hurricane comes from the high winds, which can blow away or tear anything that is not securely attached. Keep potential damage to a minimum and prepare before the season starts.
   • Since branches and trees can be blown away by high winds, remove any damaged trees and branches near your home before the start of the season. Also, remove any debris that can fly around and cause damage during a storm.
   • Renovate your home's roof, windows, and doors to better protect it. For example, you can install shock-resistant windows, armored doors and hurricane shutters in advance to prevent damage.
   • You can also have a contractor secure the roof to the frame of the house with metal hurricane clips, connections or straps.
6. Reinforce your home in the event of a warning. If you know that a hurricane is coming, you can continue in your preparations. Even if your house has been adapted, you can still take measures to strengthen it before the storm breaks.
   • Close the hurricane hatches if you have them. Otherwise, shut your windows. Plywood is the best material for this.
   • Reattach loose downspouts and clear away any debris and blockage. Also turn off all propane tanks.
   • Check that the garage doors are secured. Don't leave them open and plug gaps between the door and the ground: flying garages can destroy your home.
7. Provide food and water. If the electricity goes out, your refrigerator will stop working and all meat, dairy products, and anything perishable will go bad. The water supply can also be shut off. To maximize the chance of survival, it is best to provide a good supply of canned and preserved food and bottled water. Stock up for at least three days.
   • Fill bottles with fresh drinking water and place them in your shelter. You need about 4.5 liters of water per day and per person and more for cooking and washing. Check regularly that you have enough drinking water.
   • Provide incorruptible food for at least three days. It is best to use canned or freeze-dried food for this. Don't forget the food for your pets.
   • During the alarm phase it is best to disinfect your bath and other large pots and fill them with water. This is important to be able to drink, wash and flush the toilet after the storm.

Part 2 of 3: Weathering the storm

1. Evacuate. If possible, head north to avoid the storm. He will have lost power by the time he gets there. For example, if you live in South Florida, you can go to Georgia or more inland if you live in the Carolinas. It's easier to keep your family and pets safe while you're away than trying to weather the storm.
   • Stay together. Leave your house in a group and take only one car, if possible.
   • Always obey local evacuation orders. Evacuation should be an additional priority if you live in a mobile home, even one that dates back to after 1994. Mobile homes can be destroyed in the weakest Category 1 hurricane.
   • Only bring what you really need, such as your cell phone, medication, ID card, cash and maybe some clothes. Also provide a first-aid kit.
   • Fill up the car and give yourself time to evacuate. Don't sit in your car during a hurricane.
   • Never leave your pets alone. If they cannot escape flying debris, objects and floods, they can be injured or killed.
2. Seek refuge. If you decide to stay, find a place to protect yourself, your family, and your pets during the storm. This retreat should not have windows or skylights. If this place is in your house, close all interior doors and insure and lock the exterior doors.
   • Hopefully you will have prepared as described above. In that case you must have a safe place and all necessary things.
   • If not, make the best use of the remaining time. Choose an interior room with strong walls and no windows. A bathroom or wardrobe, for example. You can also protect yourself in a ceramic bath of which you cover the top with plywood.
   • You can also look for a communal shelter. Hurricane-prone places like Florida provide shelters statewide that you can go to during the storm. Find one close to you and bring the most important items such as medication, insurance papers, ID cards, sheets, flashlights, food and pastime.
3. Seek refuge at least 2 hours before the storm breaks. Don't wait until the last minute. Take refuge from the storm. Bring a battery-powered radio and extra batteries to stay informed (every 15 to 30 minutes). At this point you should already feel the storm coming.
   • Keep your emergency kit at hand.
   • Do not go outside under any circumstances, even if the storm seems to have calmed down. The weather during a hurricane can quickly calm and worsen, especially if you are in the eye of the storm.
   • Stay away from windows, skylights and glass doors. The biggest risk during a hurricane comes from flying debris or broken glass.
   • For more protection, lie on the floor under something hard, such as a table.
   • Water and light can create electrocution risks during a hurricane. Turn off the main switch and turn off large installations if the electricity goes out or if there is a threat of flooding. Do not use electrical appliances, telephone or shower.
4. Stay put in an emergency, but do seek help. Many things can happen during a severe hurricane. You could be endangered by gusts, be injured by debris, or experience some other medical crisis. What should you do if something goes wrong?
   • Unless you are threatened by floods, you will most likely stay sheltered indoors. The high wind speeds and flying debris can injure or even kill you.
   • Call the emergency services or your family if you are in a life-threatening situation. However, the phone may not work and the emergency services may not be available. During the Katrina hurricane, thousands of emergency calls could not be answered.
   • Use the tools you have. Treat injuries as best you can with the first aid kit. If you can reach the emergency services, they can at least give you advice on what to do best.

Part 3 of 3: Starting the rebuild

1. Wait until you are sure you can get out. Do not leave your hideout until you get the official safe signal. When the wind diminishes, only the eye may have passed and the "back" of the eye, which brings fierce winds, is yet to come. A hurricane can last for hours.
   • The area around the eye of the storm has the fastest wind speeds. This can also result in tornadoes.
   • Wait at least 30 minutes after the eye of the storm has passed before entering a room with windows. But also pay attention, because there is still a good chance that flying debris will break the glass.
   • Stay careful after the safe signal. There will be many risks such as fallen trees, electricity cables and power lines. Stay away from these cables and lines. Instead, call the energy company or emergency services for help.
   • Also stay away from flooded areas. Be extremely careful when entering a flooded area as there may be hidden debris or other hazards.
2. Be very careful when entering buildings. The high wind speeds of a hurricane damage many structures. Avoid entering buildings after the storm unless you know their structure is safe. Evacuate as soon as possible if a building shows signs of serious damage, in case it collapses.
   • Stay away from buildings if you smell gas, see flooding, or if the building has been damaged by fire.
   • Instead of candles, matches, torches, or lanterns, use a flashlight. There may be a gas leak and you could cause a fire or an explosion. Open windows and doors to release the gas.
   • Do not turn on the light unless you are absolutely sure it is safe. Check all electrical and gas lines before using them.
   • Watch out for loose or slippery floorboards, falling debris and damaged masonry when entering a structure.
3. Evaluate the damage. Your priority is to get through the hurricane safely and keep your family and pets healthy. Only then can you evaluate the damage. Check your home for structural damage. If there is a problem, the authorities should check it as soon as possible and you should stay away until it is fixed.
   • Clean and disinfect anything that has come into contact with wastewater, bacteria or spilled chemicals. Also throw away any spoiled food. When in doubt, it is best to throw it away.
   • Make sure your water supply network is working properly and safely. For example, have septic systems repaired and check that your water sources have not been contaminated with chemicals.
   • Remove wet drywall and other panels that can get moldy.
4. Pump out flooded cellars. You should never enter a flooded basement. Apart from the risk of electrocution, flood water can contain debris or bacteria from, for example, untreated waste water. Instead, use a pump to gradually lower the water level by about a third each day until all the water is gone.
   • Install an all purpose vacuum cleaner at a safe outlet above and start pumping out the water. Make sure the cable does not fall into water and wear rubber boots for safety reasons.
   • If you have a large gas pump, connect the hose to the basement through a window.
   • If you can't safely drain the basement, call the fire brigade and ask them if they can help you with this.
5. Report losses to your insurance company. You may be able to recover some losses to your home and property if you have an insurance contract that covers flood, wind and storm damage. Please contact your broker as soon as you can submit a report.
   • Make a list of damages to be recovered. Take photos and videos, keep receipts for repairs, supplies and even hotel expenses.
   • If you have had to leave your home, make sure your insurance company knows where to reach you. Try to reach them by phone. There are often free numbers that can be reached 24 hours a day.
   • With total loss, some people even paint their address and the name of their insurance company on the house to get the attention of an insurance expert.
   • Try to reasonably foresee future damage. For example, you can cover a damaged roof with a tarpaulin and openings can be closed with plywood, plastic or other materials.

Tips

• Hurricane season:
  • Atlantic (Atlantic Ocean, Caribbean Sea and Gulf of Mexico) and Central Pacific: June 1 to November 30.
  • East Pacific: May 15 to November 30.
• If someone needs your help, such as elderly or sick people, take them to a safe place.
• Only go outside if you really have to. Normally, you shouldn't leave your home until the storm has passed.
• Be on the lookout throughout the hurricane season. Information about hurricanes is provided all season long. Local media also provide good information about the planned route, intensity and potential impact of a storm.
• Make sure that pets wear identification such as on collars, so that you are more likely to find them if you lose them.
• In areas where there are many hurricanes, houses are often covered with pits. They are the safest place to hide. Watch the weather channel to know if a hurricane is coming. Stock up on food and close your windows. Have flashlights and a battery powered radio so you know what's going on outside.
• If you are in a hurricane, don't go underground! You have to stay above ground to avoid a storm surge. If you live in an apartment building on one of the top floors, move to a lower floor, but it's safer to take shelter in a smaller building if it's not too late.

Necessities

• Perishable food such as canned tuna, biscuits, biscuits, bread, etc. Perishable food must be consumed before the storm or discarded after the storm as there are health risks due to lack of electricity.
• Bottled water. The water will likely be dirty. Boil your water for months after the storm.
• Plywood and tape to shield your windows.
• Flashlights on batteries or kinetic energy
• Lots of extra batteries
• A battery-powered radio
• Glow sticks - safer than candles
• Generator and its instructions. Keep the instructions handy
• Pastimes such as board games, playing cards, paper and stylo's, colors
• If necessary, food and extra water for your pets, their cages and blankets / toys
• Extra clothes for everyone, including water resistant boots