Personal Hurricane Preparedness

I apologize for how long this post will be but in light of this last hurricane and what many have gone through, I have a list of hurricane preparations and believe it or not, I follow it. Most of these things I have learned from other seasoned people who have weathered these sorts of storms (mostly hurricane Andrew survivors of which there are many in my office).

Anyhow I thought it might be helpful to post them for others and also to get additional ideas of what other people who have been though a hurricane would do, maybe I can add to my list. I don't have small children, so things that they may need are not on the list, but suggestions would be welcome.

Family Disaster Preparedness Plan

Pre-Hurricane

Safety Deposit Box:

Put in Copies of Passport, Drivers License, SS Cards, Birth Certificates, Parents Death Certificates, Diplomas, insurance papers and pet vaccination papers. (Copies of Passports and Drivers License should be in color or so I have been told by the airlines)

(If you don't have a safety deposit box at a bank, give this information to a trusted family member or friend in an area that you do not live in.)

Make a Hurricane Notebook:

1. Copy of Deed to house
2. Copy of Home Insurance Papers – Wind, Flood and Home Owners
3. Copy of Car Registrations and Car Insurance Policy
4. Copy of Bank Account Statement
5. Copy of Birth Certificates
6. Copy of Personal Medical Insurance Cards
7. Copy of Vaccination Papers for Cats
8. Picture and location of gas shut off valve
9. Picture and location of electrical shut off
10. Instructions for Generator
11. Instructions for Securing Pool
12. List of Pet Friendly Hotels and Shelters
13. List of Family and Friends Phone Numbers
14. List of Phone Numbers for Veterinarian, FEMA, Insurance Company, Florida
Power and Light, Gas CO, City of Fort Lauderdale Water and Sewer, Bank
and Credit Card Companies

Waterproof Container:

1. Actual Deed to house
2. Actual Home Insurance Papers – Wind, Flood and Home Owners
3. Actual Car Registrations and Car Insurance Policy
4. Bank Account Statement
5. Actual Auto Registrations (If you normally keep them in your car, move
them to this water proof container as your car could be flooded or damaged)
6. Actual Personal Medical Insurance Cards
7. Vaccination Papers for Cats
8. Actual Passports
9. Actual Birth Certificates
10. Actual Diplomas
11. Actual SS Cards
12. Around $500.00 Cash or as much as you can spare to pull out of your account (You want to be careful about having too much cash if you have to go to a shelter)

Note: Before the hurricane call ahead to make sure there is room in the pet friendly shelters, if not, make arrangements with a pet care or veterinary facility in a safe area.

Designate a person in your family that is out of the area that you can call to report your status to after the hurricane has passed. Inform your other family and friends to call that person for information on your status. That way everyone who cares will be able to find out that you are ok.

In case of Drivable Evacuation (Going to Shelter or Hotel) take:

1. Hurricane Note Book with copies of paperwork
2. Waterproof Container with original paperwork
3. Blankets, pillows and towels
4. baggies, paper towels, toilet paper and large trash bags
5. Clothing for 2 Weeks and Toiletries
6. Medication, First Aid Kit, Sun Screen and Bug off
7. Flashlights and Batteries
8. Fan and Batteries
9. Radio and Batteries
10. Non-Perishable Food and Water
11. Moisture Wipes
12. Extra Gasoline for Car and Chain saw
13. Cat Carriers, Cat Food, Cat toys, any Cat Medication
14. Can Opener, Paper Plates and Glasses
15. Camp Stove, Lantern and Fuel
16. Tent
17. Rum
18. Deck of Cards & Paper Back Books
19. Lap Top Computers & Chargers
20. Cell Phones & Chargers
21. Battery powered Alarm Clock
22. Important Pictures
23. Chain saw, pliers, screw drivers, hammer and nails
24. Tarps and Rope


In Case of Non-Drivable Evacuation (Public Transport) to Shelter Take:

1. Hurricane Note Book with copies of paperwork
2. Waterproof Container with original paperwork
3. Backpacks with: Clothing for 2 Weeks and Toiletries
4. Rolling Luggage with: Blankets, pillows and towels
5. Baggies, paper towels, toilet paper and a couple of large trash bags
6. Cat Carriers, Cat Food, Cat toys, any Cat Medication
7. Medication First Aid Kit, Sun Screen and Bug off
8. Flashlights and Batteries
9. Fan and Batteries
10. Radio and Batteries
11. Non-Perishable Food and Water
12. Moisture Wipes
13. Rum & Diet Coke
14. Deck of Cards & Paper Back Books
15. Lap Top Computers & Chargers
16. Cell Phones & Chargers
17. Battery Powered Alarm Clock



Pre-Hurricane Preparations:

General House and Not Evacuating (though many of these things should be done even if you are evacuating):

1. Fill Cars with Gas
2. Fill Prescriptions (Humans & Pets)
3. Secure Yard, Patio and Plants, pick up loose debris, trim limbs on trees and
bushes
4. Empty house and yard of all trash before trash pick up
5. Fill Plastic Freezer Bags with Water and Freeze
6. Use as much frozen food as possible, fill space with frozen bags of water
7. Fill Gas cans with extra gas for generator
8. Check Oil in generator
9. Put up shutters
10. Secure Pool (turn off pump, clean filters, clean surface), if you expect a lot of
rain, drain the pool some. The same applies to outdoor hot tubs.
11. Wash sheets, towels and all clothing so that nothing remains in laundry
12. Fill multiple gallon containers with water (this is great for grooming purposes)
13. Charge Cell phones and Computers up completely
14. Set up a Happy Place for your pet so that they feel secure and confine them
well before the wind and rain from the hurricane begin.
15. If you have solar panels or anything on your roof, get it off (I learned this one
the hard way last week).
16. If it looks like flooding will be a problem and you will have to evacuate, put your
prized possessions such as pictures that you cannot take with you in plastic bags
and containers and put them up on on shelves - who knows, it might just save
them.


Supplies for No Evacuation:

1. Hurricane Note Book with copies of paperwork
2. Waterproof Container with original paperwork
3. Baggies, paper towels, toilet paper and large trash bags
4. Medication First Aid Kit, Sun Screen and Bug off
5. D Cell Flashlights and Batteries
6. C Cell Flashlights and Batteries
7. Moon Light’s and AA Batteries
8. Fan and Batteries
9. Radio and Batteries
10. Non-Perishable Food and Water
11. Moisture Wipes
12. Generator with Extension Cords and Adaptors if it is not wired into your house
13. Extra Gasoline
14. Cat Carriers, Cat Food, Cat toys, any Cat Medication
15. Can Opener, Paper Plates and Glasses
16. Plastic Forks and Spoons
17. Camp Stove, Lantern and Propane Fuel
18. Rum & Diet Coke
19. Lap Top Computers & Chargers
20. Cell Phones & Chargers
21. Battery powered Alarm Clock
22. Chain saw, pliers, screw drivers, hammer and nails, duct tape
23. Tarps and Rope

Have containers, backpacks and animal carriers ready should you need to evacuate unexpectedly (in other words a category 3 has become a category 5 and you still have time to drive out of the area).

Don’t operate the generator, propane lantern or stove inside of the house.

I keep all my hurricane supplies with the exception of a couple of flashlights and few batteries in big plastic tubs that are stored in a closet that I can just pull out quickly when needed.

Rose, as always, your post is thoughtful, kind, and a big help to everyone. Thanks for putting it up!

And for #18