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Hurricanes have been described as "The Greatest Storms on Earth", and they kill more people than any other natural event. Although they cannot be controlled, with adequate warning and the observance of safety precautions, lives and property cane be saved.
Householders need to be aware of the potential threat that a hurricane and its associated hazards have on the lives of their loved ones. As such they need to take special precautiuons to combat or lessen these threats. The following tips highlight some precautions that householders can take.
1. Listen to official warnings and advice and follow instructions given. Discuss the situation calmly with your family, particularly with young children. Your ability to be calm will reassure them. Involve all family members in precautionary activities as this will help preserve calm.
2. Make a thorough check of hurricane shutters, hooks and latches and repair where necessary.
3. Secure all loose items around the house, i.e., pans, sticks, garden tools, garbage cans, signs, porch furniture, awnings and other objects, which might form possible weapons during the onslaught of hurricane winds.
4. Keep on hand nails, hammers, wire, rope amd pliers.
5. Stock up on plastic bags and sheets of plastic. Plastic is essential to prevent important documents, paintings, equipmemt and furniture from getting wet.
6. Trim trees that touch power lines or hang over the house and other buildings.
7. Latch down securely all small buildings in the yard such as tool sheds, barns, etc. If you do not know how to do this, ask a qualified carpenter for assistance.
8. Store extra food, especially things that can be eaten without cooking or which need very little preparation. Remember, during a hurricane electric power may be off and you may be without refridgeration. Place emergency food supply in a waterproof container and store in a closed box, cupboard or trunk.
9. Make sure you have emergency equipment such as waterboots, raincoats, flashlights, batteries, battery-operated radios (portable radios), kerosene lamps and matches, in your home. Have simple first-aid equipment, etc., at home.
10. Keep handy a supply of lumber, plywood, timber, etc., for battering up purposes.
11. Know how to find the nearest shelter. Each community often has a designated shelter. It is most important that families know the location of the nearest shelter, which may be necessary to go to in case of a serious hurricane threat. You must plan for the safety of your family.
12. Plan a safe route if you must leave. You must plan early the safest possible route to the nearest safe shelter. If evacuation is to take place during peak traffic then evacuation time will be longer, so leave early.
13. Check personal property. This is necessary to recover losses. Do not trust your memory. List descriptions and take pictures. Store these and other important papers, such as birth certificates, passports, titles, insurance contracts, etc., in a safe place.
14. Check insurance coverage. Meet with your insurance agent and go over your policies and coverage to avoid misunderstanding. Make sure your property is properly valued and insured for its true value. If your property is undervalued at the time of a hurricane, you will end up with less money for repairs than you may have expected.
If all of these tips are taken into consideration and put into practice for an upcoming hurricane season, then households will be much more prepared for the threat that a hurricane poses to householders.
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