How to Prepare for a Hurricane

The National Weather Service issues a hurricane watch when hurricane-force winds (74 mph or 119 kph) are possible in a certain area within 36 hours. This is when you fill up your car's gas tank and start securing your home:

Here are four other hurricane prep tips to help you brace for an incoming storm:

If you've been preparing since a hurricane watch was issued, you should be ready to leave as soon as you get evacuation orders. The longer you wait, the bigger your chances of getting stuck in a massive traffic jam. Try to consolidate everything as much as possible when you're packing. No need to pack up everything you own; just take the necessities.

If you have time, disconnect some major appliances (so there's less risk of electrical shock when the power comes back) and turn off the gas, electricity and water before you leave. Make sure you have all important papers and documents with you — ID, insurance policies, wills — as well as all medications you take or might need.

You're going to hit more congestion the farther you drive, so try to pick the closest possible evacuation destination. The best-case scenario would probably be a friend or relative who lives in your area but doesn't have to evacuate. Oftentimes, all you need to do is evacuate far enough so you can escape storm surge.

If you have room in the car, bring your disaster supply kit (we'll talk about that in a minute). If you do end up staying in a shelter, you never know what kinds of conditions you might encounter.

If you don't have to evacuate — or if for some reason you can't — you might decide to hunker down and ride out the hurricane at home. First and foremost, remember that most people who get hurt during a hurricane get injured by flying debris and glass, so don't go outside, even if it seems like the storm is over. You might actually be in the eye of the storm, and you could be stranded outside when the winds kick up again.

Before you gather in your safe room, fill up bathtubs and any spare containers with water (you can use the tub water for washing and flushing the toilets). You might want to leave one bathtub empty — tubs are always a good place to take shelter if you cover yourself with blankets or a spare piece of plywood. If you're trapped in a building that's flooding, go to the highest level you can. Don't climb into a closed attic where you may become trapped by rising water.

Don't walk, swim or drive through flood waters. Even 6 inches (15 centimeters) of fast-moving water could knock you down. One foot (30 centimeters) of moving water could sweep your car away. Turn around and try another route [source: Ready.gov].

Having a secure home is all well and good, but it's only one piece of the hurricane-preparation puzzle. No matter how stormproof your home, there's always a chance you'll have to evacuate it — or be stuck inside it for days during a massive power outage. So you're going to need a detailed family plan and an emergency supply kit.

Family Plan

Here are the crucial components of a family hurricane plan:

Emergency Kit

Your emergency supply kit should include [source: Ready.gov]:

Ninety-nine percent of your job will be complete once you've secured your home, figured out your plan and stocked your emergency kit. At the start of hurricane season every year, double-check your supplies and replace batteries to ensure that you'll be ready to hit the ground running if a tropical storm does come your way.

Pets Need Plans, Too

If you're going to be evacuating with pets, bring leashes, collars, carriers, vaccination records, food, water and bowls. Make sure you know where the closest pet-friendly shelters and lodgings are.

Although it's tempting to want to go outside and see what's going on, wait until the authorities give the "all-clear" signal.

"Safety is always the No. 1 priority. Only go outside if it is safe to do so; heed the advisories from the National Weather Service and local emergency officials," says Eric R. Alberts, corporate director of emergency preparedness at Orlando Health via email. "If an all-clear is given, always be aware of your surroundings as there will be many hazards to watch out for such as: damage, down power lines, broken glass, debris, tree limbs, etc."

If you need to start cleaning up, be very careful to wear protective clothing, shoes, glove and goggles. Don't touch electrical equipment if it is wet or you're standing in water. Turn off the electricity at the main breaker. And don't wade in flood water. There could be downed lines or dangerous debris you cannot see. Open the windows to speed drying of the house (assuming it's safe to do so).

The phone lines may be down or overloaded at this time. Try text or social media to talk to loved ones. Document property damage with your phone or camera. Contact your insurance agent as soon as you can to report any damage.

Depending on how long you were without power, inspect the food in your freezer to see if it is safe to drink. Don't drink tap water until told to do so by the authorities. In the meantime, boil water at a rolling boil for one minute or use water purification tablets.

If you have a portable gas-powered generator, use it outside on a dry and level surface. Never use it indoors and never pour gas into it while it is running.

The hurricane season in the Atlantic begins in June and lasts until November. The peak time for these storms is mid-August to late October. In the Eastern Pacific, the season is a bit longer, starting May 15 and lasting until November 30.

If you live in a hurricane-prone area, you might assume that your home is fairly storm-proof. And you might be right — but you don't want to find out the hard way that you're wrong. You should never make any assumptions about your home's safety: It's your job to personally make sure that everything's secure. And the time to do that is definitely not when a hurricane is rumbling your way in late August. Take some time in the offseason to ask yourself these questions:

If you don't have protection for your windows, now's the time to get it. Store the window covers in a place that will be easy to access. Storm shutters are the most reliable way of protecting windows and doors. Made from aluminum or steel, the shutters are attached to the outside of the house. When a storm arrives, you simply roll the metal curtain down. If you can't spring for shutters, measure all of your windows and glass doors and get 5/8-inch-thick (1.6-centimeter-thick) plywood cut to fit them.

High winds can easily topple trees. If the trees are close to your house, trim the branches, or remove the trees outright.

Homeowners Insurance and Flood Damage

It's extremely important to closely read your homeowners' insurance policy: Flood damage isn't usually covered, so you'll probably need to take out a separate flood insurance policy from the federal government's National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) if you live in hurricane country.