The first thing you need to do when a hurricane strikes is make sure your home and all your belongings are safe and secure. This can be accomplished by stocking a storm shelter or making sure all the essentials are packed and ready to go in case you have to leave your home and bunker down for an extended period of time.
Get your house ready for a hurricane by checking and updating your emergency plan, making necessary repairs and assembling your supplies. This will give you peace of mind and allow you to be more prepared when a storm is expected to hit.
Consider pre-identifying a nearby hurricane shelter, a pet friendly hotel, or an out of town friend or relative that you could stay with if evacuation is ordered. Having these options available will make the evacuation process easier and less stressful.
Invest in a battery powered radio and extra batteries so you can listen for information from the National Weather Service or local television, radio and internet stations. This will help you keep up with storm updates, locate a shelter if you need to and let family and friends know where you are headed.
You'll also want to assemble a first aid kit that includes items such as 5'' x 9'' sterile dressing, 3'' x 3'' sterile gauze pads and a CPR breathing barrier. You can also include germicidal hand wipes and waterless alcohol-based hand sanitizer.
