Hurricane/Tropical Storm Essentials

  • Pets must also be prepared for a storm
  • Be sure you have water and non-perishable food

Create Your Emergency Plan

It’s never too early to create an emergency plan for your household. You’ll want to

  • Create and practice an evacuation route
  • Designate a safe spot or central meeting location in case you get separated
  • Give each household member a responsibility or role
  • Make a plan specifically for your pets, if you have any
  • Stock up on non-perishable foods, water bottles, flashlights, and batteries
  • Pack a “go bag” for each household member
  • Outline emergency contacts with their phone numbers, addresses, etc

It’s important that everyone is on the same page when it comes to disaster planning, so you might want to do a few drills with your family. Additionally, it’s important to plan with pets in mind. Not all hurricane shelters accommodate animals, so it is important to find out which ones do and what papers you might need if your household needs to evacuate.

“What do I pack?” Hurricane Essentials

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Ready.gov has a good pamphlet on how to set up your kit.
But here are some top things we especially want to highlight:

  • A 3- to 7-day supply of non- perishable food and drinking water with portions for each member of the household (including pets)
  • A stockpile of medications anyone might need (prescription or OTC)
  • A few full changes of clothes
  • A sleeping bag or warm blanket for each household member
  • A can opener in case of canned foods
  • Flashlights with extra batteries, or glow sticks
  • A stocked first aid kit
  • Any paperwork that might be important if you enter a shelter, such as pet vaccinations or insurance policies
  • Maps of the area with highlighted routes of how to get to a safe area

It’s also important that you set your cell phone to receive emergency alerts and keep an eye on local news stations for forecast updates. You may also want to invest in a walkie-talkie in case cell phone towers go out and you cannot access cellular data or wifi.

Safeguarding Your Home during Hurricane Season

It’s officially hurricane season for those who live on the East Coast. If your house is in the line of fire, you’ll want to start safeguarding your property before it’s too late. You should:

  • Install a power surge protector in your electrical panel.
  • Stock up on plywood to block windows before a storm.
  • Invest in an air conditioning cover to protect it from flying debris.
  • Clear your yard of loose items and furniture that could become dangerous in high winds.
  • Inquire about hurricane or flood insurance.
  • Trim trees and low-hanging branches.

You’ll also want to keep your gutters clean for the entire season. This will keep water from collecting around your home and flooding your property


Stay Safe
Larry and Ann

As always, for all your Real Estate needs, call or text Larry @ 941-993-3125
Larry’s RE/MAX Site:(link opens in new window) LarrySellsSarasota.com