A GUIDE TO HURRICANE PREPAREDNESS IN FLORIDA
As mid-summer approaches, we Floridians find ourselves in a tough spot. Sure, hurricane season in the Atlantic Basin is already underway, but in reality, it is between the months of August and October that most locals are worried about a storm making landfall.
Rather than waiting for a severe storm to occur before you start thinking about what you would do to protect yourself and your family, it is important that you familiarize yourself with precautions and actions that should be taken in the event of a hurricane developing.
As certified public adjusters, here at Supreme Public Adjusting, we are pretty familiar with hurricanes, how they act, the tough decisions that need to be made when they occur, and the damage that they leave behind. Because of this, we thought we might provide you with some valuable information on how to prepare for a hurricane. Continue reading to learn more.
Step One: Understand The National Weather Service Verbiage
The first step to preparing for a hurricane is actually understanding what is being said on the news. Below, we have listed the three different classifications that the NWS might use to describe a hurricane.
Advisory – A hurricane advisory means that conditions are expected to cause inconveniences and be potentially hazardous.
Watch – A watch is issued when conditions that could potentially develop a large tropical storm or hurricane within 48 hours.
Warning – A warning is issued when conditions create an expectation for a tropical storm or hurricane to develop within 36 hours.
It is important to use each classification as a tool. When a watch is issued, consider preparing for inconveniences like the loss of power. If a warning has been issued, complete your storm preparations and immediately leave the threatened area.
Step Two: Plan for Power Loss Or Evacuation
Living in a hot spot for tropical storms, it is important that you are always prepared for the worst. Emergency supplies should be prepared in anticipation of storms and should include items like communication tools, necessary medicine, food, critical documents, clothing, and hygiene and sanitation.
In addition to preparing belongings, it is also important to prepare the home that you are leaving behind. The best way that you can do so is to contact your insurer before a storm develops and make sure that you have all of the necessary coverages in place. Preparing your home for weathering the storm includes boarding up windows, installing flood sump pumps, and more.
Step Three: Decide To Stay Or Go
Step three is arguably the easiest of the precautions that you can take when preparing for a hurricane. When you live in an area that has been ordered to evacuate, take action and evacuate immediately. If you are in an area without an evacuation notice, stay indoors away from windows and be prepared to evacuate, should you later be ordered to leave.
After The Storm
Once the hurricane has passed, the dangers are not over. It is important that you stay hyper-vigilant as you navigate home and to not take any unnecessary risks.
Once everything begins to settle down, consider getting in touch with our team of certified public adjusters, here at Supreme Loss Adjusters. Our team will help you assess the damages to your property and move forward in the claims process — ensuring that you get the money that you need for repairs.
Do you have questions about hurricane preparation here in Florida? Contact us today to speak with a certified public adjuster.
