If you have lived in or currently live in an area that is subject to hurricanes, then you should be aware of the precautions to take BEFORE a hurricane will affect your area. If you are new to this, please read carefully and take the precautions suggested.
A hurricane is a severe tropical cyclone having winds greater than 64 knots (119 km/hr or 74 mph) originating in the equatorial regions, traveling north, northwest, or northeast from its point of origin and usually involves heavy rains. The combination of the wind and rain can be devastating.
The 2011 Atlantic hurricane season is ongoing and is forecast to have above-average activity. The season officially started on June 1 and will end on November 30. These dates conventionally delimit the period of each year when most tropical cyclones form in the Atlantic basin. Based on the average over the last 150 years of storms, the Atlantic Hurricane season ramps up in August.The following names will be used for named storms that form in the
· Arlene- June 29-July 1st-Tropical Storm-affected Central America, Yucatan Peninsula , Florida , Mexica (Veracruz ), Texas
· Bret-July 17-July 22-Tropical Storm-affected United States East Coast, The Bahamas, Bermuda
· Cindy-July 20-July 23-Tropical Storm-affected areas None
· Don-July 23-July 30-Tropical Storm-affected Lesser Antilles, Greater Antilles, Yucatan Peninsula, South Texas, Northeastern Mexico, Southwestern United States
· Emily-August 1-August 7-Tropical Storm-affected Lesser Antilles, Puerto Rico, Dominican Republic, Haiti, Cuba, Turks, and Caicos Islands, The Bahamas, South Florida
· Franklin
· Gert
· Harvey
· Irene
· Jose
· Katia
· Lee
· Maria
· Nate
· Opehlia
· Philippe
· Rina
· Sean
· Tammy
· Vince
· Whitney
Despite living along the coast, and even after major disasters such as Hurricane Katrina in 2005 and Hurricane Ike in 2008, a 2009 survey revealed that most residents are not prepared for a hurricane. The U.S. Government's National Hurricane Center
1. First, get important papers and special photos in order and secured in plastic. Identification is difficult and time-consuming to replace: so be sure to include social security cards, birth certificates, high school diplomas or GED certificates, titles or deeds to property, as well as your hurricane insurance policy. Photos of special occasions or loved ones cannot be replaced, so including these is important as well.
2. Think ahead and take video or photos of your property before you leave. This will help later on with any insurance checklist claims for damage that may need to be filed.
3. If you are advised to evacuate – DO IT! Be sure to turn off the power, water, and gas to your house before leaving. Lock your doors and take your essential valuables, paperwork, and photos and pets with you.
4. If staying with relatives is not an option, consider booking a room in a hotel or motel in another nearby town or state. Make sure to get directions and put them in the car ahead of time. It is easy to forget that piece of paper in the rush out the door. A cheaper route might be to find temporary hurricane shelters. Usually nearby towns not in the direct path of the hurricane will provide these for people in need.
5. Unfortunately, it is unlikely that your pet will have a place in a motel or hotel. Keep this in mind, and try to find alternate housing like pet friendly hotels and motels or dog boarding kennels in areas out of the path of the storm until it is safe to return home.
6. Designate a spot, in the hall closet, to keep a bag of clothes for each person in the household. Make sure to include sleeping gear if you plan on going to a temporary shelter.
7. Along with overnight clothes, consider stocking your Hurricane Kit with the following: extra cash, generator, batteries, flash lights, battery operated radio/television, bottled water, toilet paper, non-perishable foods such as cereal or crackers, canned goods, a can opener, a small cooler, candles, prescription medicines and any over-the-counter remedies you use regularly; and if you have small children—diapers, baby wipes, formula, baby food.
8. Count on the power being out for at least a day or two. Remember that ATM's will be non-operating, so have at least some hard cash in your Hurricane Kit (see no. 6, above) to see you through the storm.
When TV and computer games no longer operate, board games or a deck of cards come in handy! Arts and crafts, crayons and downloadable coloring pages are always great distractions for the kids - so make sure you've stored some of these supplies in a tote bag or in the car trunk.
9. If you decide to tough out the storm, stay downwind in your home. This means if the wind is hitting the living room windows, go to the room opposite the living room. It is best to stay away from any windows because debris can fly through at any given time.
10. Plywood is a 'hot' commodity for those of who decide to stay. Boarding up windows that will take the brunt of the wind and rain is a wise decision. If board is not available, help protect your windows from the wind by criss-crossing them with layers of duct or packing tape. This will not be much protection, but may help keep some glass from being spread. Learn how to build and install plywood hurricane shutters is your best bet. If you can afford it, metal hurricane shutter are available and can be installed by a professional.
11. Finally, STAY INSIDE. However tempting it may be to videotape or take photos of the storm, be sure to shoot from indoors - where it's safer, and dry!
More disaster information, evacuation routes, and preparedness literature can be found at the following sites.
Virginia Hurricane Preparedness: www.vaemergency.com
National Weather Service: www.weather.gov
FEMA: www.fema.gov
Red Cross: www.redcross.org
NewsChannel 3, WTKR: www.wtkr.com
WAVY-TV 10: www.wavy.com
13 News, WVEC: www.wvec.com
43 Fox: www.fox43tv.com
**Informational list and knowledge for this blog on Hurricane Preparedness was prepared using all of the above referenced websites.**
**Informational list and knowledge for this blog on Hurricane Preparedness was prepared using all of the above referenced websites.**
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