How to Prepare for Hurricanes This Season

8/24/2021 (Permalink)

Hurricanes can damage or outright destroy homes, so planning ahead is one of the best things you can do!

Hurricane Florence hit our state hard in 2018 and became one of the costliest disasters in our history. While this year’s hurricane season isn’t expected to be as crazy as last year’s, that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t be ready just in case. Based on the lessons we learned over the last several years, we want to share some things you can do to prepare for potential hurricanes this season.

Establish an Evacuation Plan

In recent years, many people have discovered how difficult it can be to temporarily uplift your life and move for the duration of a hurricane. In fact, many people found it difficult to evacuate due to having pets, medical issues, or other situations. This task becomes even more difficult when thousands of other people are trying to make the same arrangements while we’re in the middle of a pandemic.

While it’s less urgent, now is a good time to start making arrangements for a potential evacuation. Identify a safe place farther inland or in another state completely. If you have pets and won’t be able to bring them with you, you’ll need to figure out somewhere to keep them until you can return home. And if you have medical issues, speak with your doctor about potential solutions. The more you plan now, the more time you have to react should a hurricane be imminent.

Stock Up on Supplies

If you have to stay behind for any reason, you’ll want to make sure you’re fully stocked on supplies. In addition to food, water, and a first-aid kit, you’ll need emergency equipment such as a battery-powered radio, flashlights, and even a fire extinguisher. We encourage you to quickly purchase as many of these supplies as you can because they often become scarce once a storm is impending.

Take Inventory of Your Home

While we hope you’re spared, hurricanes can damage or outright destroy homes. In the event that you need to make a claim with your insurance, you’ll need to provide a full list of your belongings. To ensure you get paid for everything that was destroyed, you’ll need to keep a detailed list of all the things in your home. You can do this on paper as you move from room to room, or you can do this using several different apps. It’s recommended you do this now while you can still get an accurate account of your belongings.

After the Storm

Once a hurricane passes, it’s time to get your life back on track. While this might be easy for some, the realities of storm damage are hard to ignore. Fortunately, our team at SERVPRO of Iredell is always ready to serve the Statesville and Mooresville communities!