Hurricane season starts in June and lasts all the way through November, and during that time, everyone on the Eastern Seaboard is at potential risk of being hit by a hurricane. When that happens, you will need to act quickly to protect yourself and your home from harm. Here are five things you should do to prepare in the event of a hurricane:
- Make sure your yard is clear
- One of the first steps you can take in the event of a hurricane is to make sure your yard is clear of anything outside, including furniture, toys, or gardening tools. While it may be relatively safe to leave these things outside during a normal storm, hurricane force winds can turn these regular items into potentially deadly projectiles. Bring them inside if you can, or else risk having them blown away… or worse, having them blown into someone at potentially deadly speeds.
- Stock up on food, water, and other essentials
- When a hurricane comes through, there is no guarantee that you will have access to clean water, food, or other essentials for some time. Stocking up on nonperishable food, especially canned food, is important, as is ensuring you have enough water, either bottled or stored in other clean containers. You should also make sure you have enough of any necessary medications, which you may not be able to resupply in the event of an emergency.
- Cover your windows
- Windows are the most vulnerable parts of your home in a storm, and thus are important to protect. Boarding up your windows is a good way to prevent them from being broken, which in turn will protect the inside of your home from wind and rain. It can also protect you from any broken glass that might be created from your windows shattering, which can become a hazard in their own right.
- Be ready for outages
- In any hurricane, there is always a chance that your power is going to go out, and possibly not come back for days. That is why you should have a radio, flashlight, and other electronics that can operate on batteries, since power may not be available for some time. You should also have books and other forms of non-electronic entertainment around to help pass the time, because it may be a while before you can access your TV or computer.
- Listen to the news and be ready to evacuate
- The news should keep you up to date on the progress of the storm, including whether you may need to evacuate. You should have a bag of clothes, medicines, and other essentials ready to grab and go if an evacuation order is issued, and make sure not to wait too long to leave. If you are staying at home, remember to prioritize you and your family’s safety first, because there is no replacement for the ones you love.
Anytime your home or other dwelling has been ruined or severely damaged, it is essential that you protect your property and the interest of your investment by enlisting the services of a Rubin and Rosen public adjuster. We can provide the assistance you need by helping you to work through the entire insurance process. If you want to make a property insurance claim and need assistance to obtain fair compensation for your losses, please give us a call at 718-376-6800 or visit our contact page.