Six Month Hurricane Season has Started!

The 2013 hurricane season has officially arrived and runs through November 30th.

Making a hurricane plan ahead of time and stocking up on vital supplies will go a long way to helping you and your loved ones stay safe in the event of a storm. It will save you time, money and worry, too.

The following websites offer guides, tips and suggestions, such as keeping spare cash handy in case ATMs aren’t working, hanging onto at least one hardwire telephone in case cellular service goes out, keeping your gas tank full, and specific ways to shore up windows, doors and garage doors (Interesting fact: about 80 percent of wind damage to homes starts with wind entering the garage).

Also included are reminders to have a plan for pets since most emergency shelters won’t accept them; keep prescriptions filled and copies of them in a waterproof box or folder, along with one’s other important documents such as birth records, insurance policies and records of home valuables; as well as suggestions for storing sentimental items like family photos, digitally, in case a home computer or other electronic gadgets are destroyed.

Homeowner Hurricane Handbook and Guide

Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA)
800-621-3362

American Red Cross
800-733-2767

You can also contact FEMA and the American Red Cross in case of emergency, however, please take the necessary precautions ahead of time to be safe. Even if you implement a few of the ideas from the guides above, you’ll be ahead of the game and one step closer to being prepared.