It seems like every year, more and more hurricanes are coming to shore. It’s not just about the number of storms; it’s about the severity of them. Category 3 and 4 hurricanes continue to set records and cause billions of dollars in damage.
Although more people are taking these storms seriously and preparing, a recent poll showed that at least 75% of people wished they had been more prepared. 52% wanted more food and water; 47% desired flashlights, batteries and phone chargers; and 66% wished they had backup power for their home.
People who were polled said that 50% had to leave their homes for over a week and stay in a hotel with an average cost of close to $600. A significant 66% wished they had backup power for their home. Now as much as a hurricane can cause damage to your home or business, it’s the emotional damage that genuinely takes a toll.
So what can you do to stay ahead of the storm and be better prepared?
Gather your family and sit them down and put together a plan for severe weather. Follow these three steps to make sure your family can be as prepared as possible.
- Prepare a disaster kit for every member of your family. Not just the adults, but for your kids and pets. Adults should keep a separate kit in the car and the kids should have an extra kit for school. In the kit should be bottled water, perishable food, medication and a flashlight with current batteries.
- Find out if you’re in a flood zone; if so, make sure you get insurance as soon as you can, as the policy takes about 30 days to go into effect.
- The number one cause of power outages in the country is due to weather. Install a backup generator or have your existing one serviced to make sure you can keep your sump pumps and refrigerators running. Although having a portable generator is handy, having a home standby generator turns on automatically when the power goes out.
Don’t let these storms get the better of you. Prepare yourself and your family by following these steps. If you need advice, assistance or to have a generator installed, please contact us.