Hurricane season begins June 1st in Florida, and the best time to prepare is before the season starts. The following is an outline detailing how to prepare for a storm:
Strengthen Your Home for Season
- Before a new storm even begins brewing in the Atlantic, keep your home hurricane-ready.
- Keep trees nearby your home trimmed to prevent damage from broken branches
- Gather the materials to board up your home. If you have impact windows, you are all set
- If you have shutters, confirm you have the necessary hardware
- If you do not have shutters or impact windows, purchase 5/8 or thicker plywood for each window
- Once a hurricane warning has been issued:
- Bring in any outdoor furniture or décor
- Move your car inside the garage or an alternate secure location
Stay Covered `
- Check your insurance policies to know your coverage prior to the storm
- Make sure you have wind and flood insurance
- Make sure you are protecting your home and vehicles in compliance with your insurance requirements
- Store your policy documents in a safe location, and take them with you if you evacuate
Create a Plan
- Identify you evacuation zone and routes https://www.floridadisaster.org/planprepare/disaster-preparedness-maps/
- Create an Emergency Action Plan following the CDC guidelines https://www.cdc.gov/prepyourhealth/planahead/index.htm
Stay informed `
- For mobile alerts, visit http://wwww.mobile.weather.gov
- For the most recent hurricane path updates, visit https://www.nhc.noaa.gov/
After the storm, document the damage with as many photographs as possible. Recovery can take months to years for communities to rebuild, and the construction industry becomes strained. Report the damage to your insurance company, and contact your trusted builder as soon as possible so that we can start the process of rebuilding your home.
