Hurricane Preparedness

– Article courtesy of: Robert Russell, Business Development Manager

Tropical Storm Harvey is forecasted to become a “major hurricane” before making landfall on the Texas coast late Friday night or early Saturday morning. We are resending our hurricane preparedness article, which includes links to online resources.

According to the U.S. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), the Atlantic Ocean and Caribbean Basin may develop an above-average number of tropical storms and hurricanes in 2017. NOAA predicts 11-17 tropical storms, with 5-9 likely reaching hurricane strength. Two to four of those storms are expected to reach major hurricane strength, Category 3 or higher. NOAA says it is not able to accurately predict in advance when these storms may form or how many storms will make landfall. In 2016, NOAA called for an average amount of tropical storm activity of 10-16 named storms. That year saw a total of 15 named storms, including Hurricane Matthew, which killed nearly 600 people and caused more than USD 15 billion in damage in the Caribbean and the Eastern Seaboard of the United States. Hurricane season runs from June 1 to November 30, with the most activity historically occurring during September.

How to Prepare

Ready.Gov has an extensive list of preparations for weathering a hurricane. Following is a quick summary. You can get full details on these tips and more by going to Ready.Gov.

• Build an emergency kit.
• Make a family communications plan.
• Know your surroundings.
• Learn your community’s hurricane evacuation route and know where to find higher ground.
• Make plans to secure your property.
• Cover your home’s windows. Permanent storm shutters are best; boarding up with 5/8″ exterior grade plywood can also help. Applying tape to windows will not stop the glass from breaking.
• Be sure trees and shrubs around your home are well trimmed so they are more wind resistant.
• Reinforce your garage doors; if the wind enters a garage it can cause structural damage.
• Bring inside any loose objects (outdoor furniture, lawn decorations, garbage cans, bikes, etc.) or securely tie them down. During a hurricane, they can become deadly missiles.

How to Respond

• Listen to the radio or TV for information.
• Turn off utilities if the authorities instruct you to do so. Otherwise, turn your refrigerator to its coldest setting and keep its doors closed.
• Turn off any propane tanks.
• Avoid using your home telephone, except for emergencies. Lightning can travel through telephone wires.
• Fill your bathtub and other containers with water.
• Stay in your home, but if the authorities advise you to evacuate, do so immediately.
• Stay indoors and away from windows and glass doors.
• If necessary, take refuge in a small interior room, closet, or hallway on the lowest level.
• You should also evacuate if you live in a mobile home, a high-rise building, on the coast, on a floodplain, near a river, or on an island waterway.
• Do not use elevators.
• Do not be fooled by a lull; it could be the eye of the storm and the winds will increase as the eye passes over your location.

How to Recover

• Listen to radio or TV for the latest news and weather updates.
• Be alert for extended rainfall and possible flooding even after the hurricane has passed.
• If you are separated from your family, use your family communications plan or contact the American Red Cross for assistance in locating your family.
• If you cannot return home and have immediate housing needs, text SHELTER + your ZIP code to 43362 (4FEMA) to find the nearest shelter in your area (example: shelter 12345).
• The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) can help people who have longer-term housing needs due to a disaster.

This guide is for informational purposes only and does not contain Securitas USA’s complete policy and procedures. For more information, contact your Securitas USA representative.

Additional Resources:

Federal Emergency Management Agency

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Hurricane Center

The American Red Cross Hurricane Safety Site

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention – Hurricanes and Other Tropical Storms