How to Get Ready for Hurricane Season

As hurricane season approaches, it’s more important than ever to be ready. Each year, storms bring unexpected power outages, flooding, and disruptions to daily life.

While the East and Gulf Coasts are most likely to experience hurricanes, climate change means that the number of areas at risk continues to grow.

You can take steps to protect yourself and your loved ones. A little planning can also reduce any stress you feel about what you’ll do if faced with a worst-case scenario.

“Being prepared can give you the confidence to react accordingly during a disaster,” says Nicole Maul, a national spokesperson for the American Red Cross.

Think about what hazards may affect your community and take stock of your situation.

Make a Plan for Staying and a Plan for Going

Depending on the emergency, you may need to stay where you are or go somewhere else to stay safe.

“In the event you need to leave, think about where you will go, how you will get there, where you will stay and what you’ll take with you. Plan well in advance if you’ll need help leaving or will use public transportation — and don’t forget to include pets,” says Maul.

Figure Out How to Stay Connected Without Your Cell Phone

Create a plan to reconnect with loved ones if you are separated or if the phone or internet is down.

“There may be situations where you can’t use your cell phone because of downed internet or a dead battery. You want to be able to monitor the situation, so it’s important to have a battery-powered or hand-crank radio where you can stay tuned to the local media for any notifications or information that may be coming out,” says Michael Antoine, the associate vice president of campus safety, emergency preparedness, and response for Louisiana State University in New Orleans.

Having a backup battery or a power bank to charge your phone is a good idea, too.

Sign Up for Free Emergency Alerts and Download Emergency Apps

Sign up for free emergency alerts from your local government, and make sure you know what different types of alerts mean.

“A ‘watch’ means be prepared. A ‘’warning’ means take action,” says Maul.

There are also apps, like the Red Cross emergency app, where you can access checklists and step-by-step guides to walk you through best practices during a hurricane or other disaster.

Available in both English and Spanish, the app allows you to customize 40 different weather alerts with fast notifications. It also offers an interactive map that can help you find open Red Cross shelters. It’s available in the App Store, Google Play or by texting GETEMERGENCY to 90999.

Create a Strategy to Address Certain Medical Conditions or Disabilities

“People with and without disabilities should routinely conduct a personal assessment of their needs. We find that support networks become a critical infrastructure for people with disabilities, older adults, or people who do not live near their family,” says Maul.

If you rely on power for medical devices, it's important that you register with either your utility company or your local Emergency Management Office. “Many states have what they call ‘Special Needs Registries,’ and they usually try to find those folks a shelter, or they make them a high priority for restoring utility services to those areas,” Antoine says.

Also be sure to create lists of emergency contacts, medications, and healthcare provider info that you can keep close at hand.

The Red Cross has a dedicated information page for people with disabilities to help with preparing for different emergencies, including hurricanes.

Emergency kits that contain critical supplies like food, water, and medicine are a must, says Maul.

The American Red Cross recommends that your emergency kit include:

• Three days of water (a gallon of water per person per day) and easy-to-prepare food
• Charging cords
• Flashlight and extra batteries
• First-aid kit
• Battery-powered or hand-crank radio
• Manual can opener
• Sanitation and personal hygiene items
• Important documents in waterproof containers (make sure you have a backup somewhere secure)
• Cash in small denominations
• Maps of the area
• Family and emergency contact information
• A change of clothes for each person
• Emergency blanket
• Medications and copies of prescriptions. Have at least a week’s supply, and if you’ve had warning about the storm, see if you can get an extra month’s supply before it hits, says Antoine. Consider keeping a list of your medications and dosages on a small card to carry with you.

If you have pets, include leashes, carriers, food, water, bowls, litter, litter box, and photos of you with your pet in case you are separated, says Maul.

If you have an infant, pack infant formula, bottles, diapers, and wipes.

Leaving home can be stressful for everyone, especially children who may not understand what’s happening, says Antoine. “Allow them to bring something that can comfort them, like a stuffed animal or their favorite toy.”

Keep Extra Supplies to Shelter in Place

It’s a good idea to keep extra essentials on hand in case you need to stay home and shelter in place. Keep two weeks of food and water, and a one-month supply of medications and medical supplies, says Maul.

Ahead of a hurricane, you should prepare for high winds and potential flooding, says Antoine.

For wind:

• Secure items outside, such as lawn furniture and trash cans.
• Anchor objects that would be unsafe to bring inside, such as gas grills and propane tanks. “Any unsecured items can turn into a projectile and hurt someone or damage your home,” says Antoine.
• Trim or remove trees close enough to fall on your home.
• Protect windows with permanent storm shutters or precut plywood.

For flooding:

• Clean out drains, gutters and downspouts.
• Gather protective materials such as plastic sheeting and sandbags.
• Consider elevating the heating system, water heater, and electric panel.

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It’s important to prepare in advance for a possible evacuation notice.

You can do the following.

Find out the evacuation plan for your community. Identify potential routes to leave your area. These should be available at your state’s Department of Transportation or Office of Emergency Management.

Know the nearest emergency shelter location. Download the Red Cross or the FEMA app to locate the shelter nearest you.

Keep your gas tank at least half-full at all times.

Pick an out-of-state contact. Make sure everyone in your family or network has the information to call and check in when possible.

Plan a meet-up spot. Pick a safe place to find each other if you’re separated.

Write Your Evacuation Checklist

If you’re in an area where you’ve been advised or ordered to evacuate, you’ll need to act right away.

• Grab your emergency kit.
• Secure your home.
• Lock all doors and windows.
• Leave ASAP to avoid traffic and road closures.
• Follow official instructions — no shortcuts — and avoid flooded areas.

“You should plan to review all important documents at least once per year to ensure you will have what you need in case of an emergency. Ahead of hurricane season, review your insurance policies and coverage with your insurance agency. This is a time for you to ask questions, learn more about your coverage, and determine if you have the right coverage,” says Maul.

Antoine recommends that you look at your hurricane coverage deductible. “Many policies have separate or even higher deductibles when it’s a hurricane. And make sure you have flood insurance — most homeowner policies don’t cover flooding, and so you’ll need a separate policy for that.”

Keep in mind that any policy changes you want to make usually take about 30 days to take effect. “If you wait until there’s a storm out there in the Atlantic that everyone is watching, it’s too late,” Antoine says.

It’s also a good idea to document your property. Take photos of your home and belongings and keep a list of valuable items in a safe place.

Once you’ve created an emergency kit and evacuation plan, you can feel better knowing you’re prepared. There are a few additional ways to stay on top of your hurricane prep.

Hold practice drills. Regularly review your plans and check on the status of your emergency supplies.

Stay connected. Keep an updated list of emergency contacts and check regularly to make sure the information is still accurate.

Help neighbors. Check on elderly or disabled neighbors to ensure they have assistance if needed.

Keep a cool head. In the event of a hurricane, remain calm and follow your plan.

• Preparing for hurricane season can significantly reduce risk and stress — start by creating an emergency plan.
• Plan evacuation routes and communication strategies, and build a stocked emergency kit with food, water, medications, and vital documents.
• Sign up for local emergency alerts and have a radio so you can stay informed and access shelter information even if the internet is down.
• Review and update your insurance policies, especially flood coverage, well before a storm is forecast, as changes typically take 30 days to go into effect.