2022 Hurricane Season | Top 10 Ways to Prepare for Possible Disaster

Published: July 23, 2022

Those who live on the Eastern Seaboard or Gulf Coast should prepare for the hurricane that will one day strike land. A plan has instructions and eliminates the frantic dash to discover everything at the last minute. Here are 10 tips from UNITS Moving and Portable Storage of San Antonio on how you and your family can stay safe during the hurricane season:

Heed the evacuation orders

It’s difficult to evacuate once a storm has hit. Extreme winds and flying debris make transportation impossible and risky. People who stay behind put first responders’ lives in danger when they try to contact first responders for assistance during an emergency. Know your Evacuation Zone and prepare to leave before conditions get worse. Evacuate as soon as the order comes down.

Be aware of essential information

FEMA lists State Emergency Management Agencies. You can click the first letter of your state, and find the listed agencies. The information is organized into sections. Each state agency’s page contains a link, as well as phone numbers and other details.

Create a plan

Before deciding to stay in your home rather than evacuate, be sure you know everything there is to know about the storm and its consequences. Some of the most important decisions you’ll make include advance hurricane preparations, as well as ensuring that your house can withstand a hurricane before deciding whether or not to stay. Of course, we encourage everyone who resides or works in coastal regions to pay attention to any crucial updates!

Prepare your home

If you stay or leave, your home will require preparation in either case. Cover all of the doors and windows with plywood secured to the structure using screws or lag screws. Ideally, cut the plywood to size and drill pilot holes for screws before storing each piece. Garage doors and patio doors should not be forgotten if they are not hurricane-rated.

Stay in the know

Keep extra batteries on hand and keep your cell phone charged up. When the electricity goes out, turn off your phone unless you’re using it, and save power whenever feasible. Keep informed of the storm by listening to a local radio station with a radio that is tuned to a local station. You will be notified about emergency alerts and hazardous weather conditions if you have a weather radio.

Choose a point of contact

Choose a single point of contact, such as someone who is hundreds of miles from the storm. Let them know if you’re in distress so they can notify other family and friends about your situation. Before the storm, give your contact all of their phone numbers, email addresses, and social media account details.

Remain inside

Winds of a hurricane can propel things at deadly velocities and make them into dangerous projectiles. Many injuries have been reported in these events, including decapitations, limb amputations, crushed extremities, and more. Take extreme precautions.

Secure emergency power

When the electricity goes out, food in refrigerators begins to deteriorate after four hours. If you keep the freezer closed, it will last for 12-24 hours. Following a hurricane disaster, blackouts may continue for days or weeks; thus, having an emergency power supply becomes a critical survival tool. Small portable generators can keep a few things going while they are being recharged, but they must be refueled and cannot operate without shelter from the elements.

Stay out of the water

Floods can be devastating. They include sewage, human and animal waste, chemicals, and parasites in addition to the risk of drowning. If biological hazards go untreated, they might cause significant health problems or health concerns.

After the storm

While you wait for the all-clear, keep yourself safe and indoors. If you stayed at home, don’t rush to leave unless you need medical attention or face an imminent threat. First responders generally arrive in one to three days but can sometimes take longer.

If you need assistance in preparing for hurricane season, UNITS is here to help. Our portable storage containers are the perfect solution to keep your belonging safe and secure. Contact us today for your free estimate.