Today marks the beginning of Hurricane Season an as time has proven before, it is always a good idea to be prepared for anything that comes your way. So we here at the OFCI Report would like to give you some tips on being prepared this Hurricane Season to be safe.
Before Hurricane Season:
*Determine safe evacuation routes inland
*Learn locations of official shelters
*Check emergency equipment, such as flashlights, generators,
battery-powered equipment such as cell phones.
*Buy food that will keep and store drinking water
*Buy plywood or other material to protect your home if you
don't already have it.
*Trim trees and shrubbery so branches don't fly in your home
*Clear clogged rain gutters and downspouts
*Review your insurance policy
*Find pet-friendly hotels on your evacuation route
During the Storm:
When in Watch Area:
*Frequently listen to the radio for official bulletins
of the storms progress
*Fuel and service family vehicles
*Inspect and secure mobile home tie downs
*Ensure you have extra cash on hand
*Prepare to cover all windows and doors with shutters
or other shielding materials
*Check batteries and stock up on canned food, first aid
supplies, drinking water and medications
*Brink in light-weight objects such as garbage cans,
garden tools, toys, and lawn furniture
When in a Warning Area:
*Closely monitor radio and TV for official bulletins
*Close storm shutters
*Follow instructions issued by local officials. Leave
immediately if ordered
*stay with friends or relatives at a low-rise inland hotel
or at a designated public shelter outside the flood zone
*DO NOT stay in a mobile or manufactured home
*Notify neighbors and a family member outside of the
warned area of your evacuation plans.
*Take pets with you if possible, but remember, most
public shelters do not allow pets other than those used
by people with disabilities . Identify pet-friendly hotels
along your evacuation route.
Plan to Leave if You....
*Live in a mobile home. They are unsafe in high winds no
matter how well fastened to the ground
*Live on the coastline, an offshore island, or near a river or
a flood plain
*Live in a high rise building. Hurricane winds are stronger
at higher elevations
If Staying in a Home
*Turn refrigerator to maximum cold and keep it closed
*Turn off utilities if told to do so by authorities
*Turn off propane tanks
*Unplug all small appliances
*Fill bathtub and large containers with water in case clean
tap water is unavailable. Use water in bathtubs for cleaning
and flushing only. DO NOT drink it.
If Winds Become Strong...
*Stay away from windows and doors, even if they are covered.
Take refuge in a small interior room, closet or hallway.
*Close all interior doors. Secure and brace external doors.
*If you are in a two-story house, go to an interior first floor room
*If you are in a multi-story building and away from water, go to
the first or second floor and stay in the halls or other interior
rooms away from windows.
*Lie on the floor under a table or other sturdy object
After the Storm...
*Keep listening to the radio
*Wait until an area is declared safe before entering
*Watch for closed roads. If you come upon a barricade
or a flooded road, Turn Around, Don't Drown!
*Stay on firm, dry ground. Moving water only 6 inches
deep can sweep you off your feet. Standing water may be
electrically charged from power lines.
*Never use a generator indoors
*Avoid weakened bridges and washed out roads
*Once home, check gas, water and electrical and appliances
for damage.
*Use a flashlight to inspect damage. Never use candles and
other open flames indoors
*Wear proper shoes to prevent cutting feet on sharp debris
*Do not drink or prepare food with tap water until officials
say it is safe.
*Avoid electrocution by not walking in areas with downed
power lines
What to bring to a Shelter:
*First-aid kit
*Medicine, prescriptions
*Baby food and diapers
*Games, books, music players with headphones
*Toiletries
*Battery powered radio and cell phone
*Flashlights
*Extra batteries
*A blanket or sleeping bag for each person
*Identification
*Copies of key papers such as insurance policies
*Cash, credit card
We hope that you take heed to all the information we are giving you today. Hopefully you will not have to use any of it as to say a Hurricane doesn't come your way. But if so, please follow all the instructions and By All Means....Be Safe.
Information above provided my the National Hurricane Center.
For more information about Hurricanes and Hurricane Preparedness visit them online at:
http://www.nhc.noaa.gov
And Remember.....Be Safe!!!
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