Hurricane preparedness checklist
Hurricanes usually give you a few days of warning, but that is also when store shelves empty. The people who ride them out calmly are the ones who got ready before the season, not during the scramble. Here is what to do before, during, and after.
Before the season
- Build your supplies now, while shelves are full and you are not rushed.
- Know your evacuation zone and route, and where you would go.
- Put copies of IDs, insurance, and key documents in a waterproof bag, plus a digital copy.
Core supplies
- Water: one gallon per person per day, two weeks at home.
- Food: two weeks of no-cook food, plus a manual can opener.
- Power and light: flashlights, spare batteries, charged power banks, and a battery or hand-crank radio.
- First aid and medications, with extra days of any prescriptions.
- Cash in small bills, since card readers and ATMs may be down.
- A full tank of gas before the storm arrives.
Protect your home
- Install shutters or board windows, and bring in or tie down anything loose outside.
- Clear gutters and drains so water flows away from the house.
- Fill the bathtub and spare containers for washing and flushing if the water goes out.
Evacuate or shelter in place
If officials tell you to evacuate, leave early, roads fill fast and conditions worsen quickly. Keep a go-bag ready, and plan for pets, since many shelters will not take them. If you stay, pick an interior room away from windows.
During the storm
- Stay inside, away from windows, and monitor a battery or crank radio.
- If the wind suddenly calms, you may be in the eye. Stay put until officials say it has passed.
After the storm
- Watch for flooding, downed power lines, and weakened trees. Do not drive through standing water.
- Keep the fridge closed (about four hours of safe cold) and follow any boil-water notices.
- Photograph any damage before cleanup for your insurance claim.
Keep it ready
The catch with hurricane supplies is that they sit unused for most of the year, so the water, food, medications, and batteries quietly expire between seasons. Rotate them before each season starts, so the kit is actually ready when a storm forms.
Quick checklist
- Two weeks of water and no-cook food, plus a manual can opener.
- Light, power banks, and a battery or crank radio.
- First aid, medications, cash, and a full tank of gas.
- Documents in a waterproof bag, home protected, evacuation plan known.
- Rotate everything before each season.