Part 1: Before The Storm
It was less than two years ago that we all experienced a category 5 hurricane here in Florida. Hurricane season officially began on June 1st and will run through November 30th. The most important part of navigating hurricane season is having a plan. Lucky for you, All Florida Insurance Adjusters is here to help. We've compiled a detailed breakdown of everything you need to know Before, During and After a Storm. We've broken it up into 2 parts, this is Part One: Before.
Before
Emergency Evacuations
Learn how to prepare for an evacuation, as well as what to do and where to go.
There are two types of evacuation instructions:
Evacuation recommendation: The Mayor may recommend that certain residents take steps to evacuate due to their personal risk. A recommendation might be issued to residents who may need extra time to evacuate due to mobility challenges or people who live in areas prone to flooding that may not be in storm surge inundation areas.
Evacuation order: The Mayor may order residents of specific areas of the county deemed to be in danger, based on a hurricane’s track and projected storm surge.
Areas of the County that should evacuate will be announced through your local county's website and local media.
Residents are encouraged to stay with family members or friends who live inland in a non-evacuation area. Hurricane evacuation centers will open, but should only be considered as a shelter of last resort.
Evacuation orders are issued by zones or partial zones. Find out if you live in an area that may be at risk for storm surge. When an evacuation order is given you can find out if you need to evacuate by viewing the Evacuation Orders map.
Kits & Checklists
Make plans and be fully stocked on supplies before hurricane season begins.
Emergency supplies should be fully stocked by June 1, the start of hurricane season. Once a hurricane warning is declared, most of your preparations should be directed toward your home.
Family Emergency Plan
You and your family members may not be together when a hurricane is approaching. Plan ahead and talk about what you will do before, during and after a hurricane.
Discuss how you will get to a safe place, get in touch with each other and get back to each other.
Your plan should contain:
Phone numbers of a pre-assigned contact person for family members to call
List and contact information of family members, friends, neighbors and physicians
A safe place to store important documents in a waterproof container or bag
How you will get assistance if needed for older adults or those with functional needs in the home
How to turn off the water, gas and electricity safely
Hurricane Supply Kit
A supply kit is a container of items your family may need in or after an emergency. Most of the items can be found in your house.
It is important to put them in one place. Be sure every family member knows where the kit is kept.
Keep loose items in airtight plastic bags.
Gather the kit's items in easy-to-carry containers or duffel bags. Put them within reach, near the exit you use most often.
Check and update your kit at least once a year.
Your hurricane supply kit should contain:
7-day supply of non-perishable foods
7-day supply of water (one gallon per person per day, including pets)
A manual can opener
Battery-powered portable television or radio with extra batteries
Flashlight with extra batteries
First aid kit and manual
Sanitation and hygiene items, such as instant hand sanitizing gel, disinfectant wipes, moist towelettes, toilet paper, and feminine hygiene products
Personal Protective Equipment (PPE), such as masks and gloves
Thermometer with batteries, if required
Matches in a waterproof container
Whistle
Kitchen accessories and cooking utensils
Cash
Extra clothing, blankets and sleeping bags
Photocopies of identification, insurance, prescriptions, household inventory, credit cards and your utility bill
Copies of important documents such as birth certificates, adoption certificates, marriage licenses, divorce papers, Social Security cards, passport, green cards, will, insurance policies (home, auto, life, health, etc.), bank statements
Prescription medications, eyeglasses, contact lens solution and hearing aid
Batteries
Type ABC fire extinguisher
Telephone that is not dependent on electricity and/or a cell phone
Formula, baby food, diapers and pacifiers
Pet carriers, leashes, shot records, and food for each animal evacuating with you
Tire repair kit, booster cables, pump and flares
Toys and games for children
Mosquito repellent
Sunscreen (45 SPF recommended)
Pet Preparedness
Learn how to properly take care of your pets when a storm comes.
Hurricane season runs from June 1 through November 30. Whatever preparation plans you make for yourself, remember to include your pets. If you're riding out the storm in the home of a family member, friend or neighbor, take your pets with you.
If You Stay Home
If you stay at home, remember to stay together. Keep your pet in a crate or carrier and find a safe area where you will all be together. Keep their collar and tag on in case you get separated. It's always best to microchip your pets since they tend to lose their collars. Pet owners residing in an evacuation zone, unsafe structure or trailer are encouraged to come to a pet-friendly evacuation center.
Pet-Friendly Evacuation Centers
Animal Services operates pet-friendly shelters during emergencies. Pre-registration is not required to use the evacuation center. Evacuation centers will be announced as needed.
Upon arrival at the center, pets will be examined by a licensed veterinarian to determine if the pet presents a safety risk. Any pet deemed a risk will not be allowed to enter the evacuation center.
Tree Preparation
Prune your trees before hurricane season arrives, and get tips for after the storm.
During hurricane season, the right tree in the right place may help protect your property from strong winds by acting as a buffer.
In the instance that your tree is blown over or uprooted during the storm, there are steps you can take to repair the damage and make sure that your tree lives to see another day.
Do not begin any pruning during a Hurricane Watch or Hurricane Warning
Getting Ready Before the Storm
Improperly pruning trees before a storm can increase the possibility they will break or fall more easily during the storm. The large amounts of fallen and damaged trees usually seen after a storm are from improper cutting or pruning of trees.
Several months prior to hurricane season, do the following:
Prune trees during the tree species dormant season or during early spring.
Make sure the lawn care worker or tree trimmer is a certified arborist. Ask to see their registration or license and insurance.
Never "top" or "hatrack" any tree. "Hatracking" is the term used when a tree is cut or chopped so badly that it is left with few or no leaves on the branches.
Do not remove more than 25 percent of the tree canopy.
Do not cut the tree root system.
Remove mainly the interior branches. This will thin the canopy of the tree and allow the winds to pass through it more easily.
Make sure to correctly dispose of all tree cuttings since branches and stumps left out in the open can become projectiles during a storm.
Once the tree trimming has been completed, schedule a bulky waste pickup.
After the storm
Because a well-cared-for tree is one of the best ways to protect your home from storm damage, saving as many trees as possible is to your benefit. Here are some simple guidelines for post-storm tree clearing and salvage:
Survey the area for downed power lines. Call Florida Power & Light at 1-800-4-OUTAGE (1-800-468-8243) as soon as possible and keep yourself and others a safe distance away from any broken power lines.
Cut any downed trees or branches blocking major roadways in order to help clear a path for emergency vehicles, utility trucks and other heavy machinery.
Survey your property and remove trees or branches that are blocking access to your home.
Cut any leaning or split trees that have a high probability of falling and causing additional damage to lives or property.
Remove trees that are blocking access to utility poles or boxes. Remember that the wires may be live, so do not attempt to remove trees leaning on power lines.
A partially uprooted tree can be saved by digging out the roots and standing the tree back upright. Big trees may need a come-along or backhoe to pull the tree back up.
If no equipment is available, water the roots of the tree regularly and cover the roots with soil, mulch or even a tarp. The tree may need to be pruned before standing back up.
If no leafy canopy remains on the tree after standing in place, paint the trunk of the tree with a light-colored latex paint to keep the bark from sun burning (yes, trees can get sunburned too). Support the tree with tie-downs or solid supports until the roots have a chance to grow back.
Tips for up-righting small fallen trees
Young trees planted within the last few years that have not yet established wide root systems are most susceptible to toppling over during hurricane-force winds. Downed trees aren't necessarily a total loss, however.
If a tree in your yard blows over in a hurricane:
Assess potential danger in approaching a fallen tree, looking for downed wires or limbs in overhead wires. Stay away and report any hazardous conditions.
Remove only those limbs that are blocking access to your home or vehicle or are posing an immediate danger to people or property.
Cover and shade the exposed root ball with burlap, old sheets, towels or several layers of newspaper and wet down thoroughly. Do not use plastic. Cover the exposed trunk and branches to prevent sun-scalding. Keep the root ball wet (for up to several weeks) while you take care of more pressing post-storm recovery activities.
To re-set a tree, dig out a wide area on the root ball side of the tree. Protect the trunk with a cushion of towels or soft material, and pull the tree back upright into the hole. Make sure it's straight and level, sitting no higher or lower than its original grade. Fill in with half the original soil, water thoroughly to remove air pockets, then finish filling in. Water thoroughly. Do not stake the tree unless it cannot stand by itself.
Cover the entire area under the tree with four to six inches of organic mulch, like chipped wood, and keep it watered thoroughly for the next six months, through the entire winter dry season. Treat it like a newly-transplanted tree, which it is.
Broken or damaged branches should be removed by making a clean cut just outside the juncture of trunk and the branch. Some branches can be cut out for structural stability or appearance, but the remaining branches should not be shortened or sheared.
Shelter in Place
Learn how to safely ride out the storm from home.
During an emergency, an emergency alert might require the public to shelter in place by taking refuge indoors.
Sheltering in place offers immediate protection for a short time in your home or other building. It is the best way to protect yourself from a hazard and is a safer alternative than evacuation.
In the event of an emergency, Florida officials will issue an emergency alert on radio or television that instructs the public to shelter in place. Listen for updates because changing conditions could alter recommendations.
During an emergency, Emergency Alert System messages will announce what protective measures are most appropriate.
For all emergencies requiring shelter in place, be sure to:
Go indoors to your designated shelter-in-place room or area.
Make sure all family members and pets are with you.
Bring your emergency supply kit with you.
For hurricanes or tornadoes, protect yourself with a mattress or padding.
For wildfires, turn ON air conditioners and ventilation systems; breathe through a damp cloth.
For a chemical, radiological, or biological threat, use plastic sheeting and duct tape to seal off windows, doors, and vents. Turn OFF fans and air conditioners.
Don't use gas, propane, or kerosene appliances; vapors might be toxic.
Listen to your radio or TV for emergency information.
Stay indoors until given the "all clear" signal or other instructions.
General Planning
Prepare a family emergency plan. Include plans for sheltering in place, evacuation, communicating with your family and caring for pets.
Learn about warning sirens where you live. If you live within the Emergency Planning Zone of a nuclear power plant, become familiar with that siren and when it's being tested.
Choose a room in which to shelter. It should be an interior room with few or no windows, doors or vents. If possible, choose a room with a water supply and a hard-wired telephone.
Prepare an emergency supply kit.
Know which local radio and TV stations broadcast emergency information.
Pre-cut pieces of plastic sheeting to seal cracks around windows, doors and vents in case of a chemical, radiological or biological threat (to prevent air contaminants from entering the room).
Learn CPR and first aid.
Designate a contact person outside of your area for family members to call during an emergency to report where they are.
Safe Rooms
A safe room is a reinforced area of your home or building designed to withstand severe wind storms and chemical, radiological and biological threats.
Learn more information on safe rooms and how to build one in your home.
If you do not have a reinforced safe room, designate an interior room with few or no windows or external doors (e.g., a hall closet) as a temporary safe room. If you have not been told to evacuate, use your designated safe room to help protect you during an emergency.
A non-reinforced safe room is not typically suitable for protection in a mobile home during high-wind emergencies.
Recovery after an emergency
Local officials will inform the public when they are confident that the threat has ended. The four options for ending shelter in place are:
Resume normal activity with no restrictions
Ventilate the shelter but remain indoors
Exit the shelter
Relocate to a designated facility
Keep this guide in mind when a storm is on the horizon. Use it and take a look at Part 2: During the Storm.
Comments