WhiteFence.com Releases Tips on Hurricane Safety
Houston, TX (PRWEB) July 12, 2013 -- The duration of hurricane season stretches from June through November in the Gulf of Mexico and the Atlantic Ocean. However, the most severe tropical storms often occur August through October. WhiteFence.com, the leading place for consumers to get information for their homes, has prepared a list of tips in advance of this year’s peak hurricane season.
Hurricanes produce heavy rains, flooding and tornadoes, creating winds that can reach 155 miles per hour. These tropical storms can be devastating to homes, business and communities that lie in its wake. Catastrophic storm damage can extend even hundreds of miles inland.
Here are WhiteFence.com’s top tips on hurricane safety:
Preparing for a Hurricane
1. Prepare an Emergency Kit - Prepare for a hurricane well in advance of the hurricane season by creating an emergency kit. An emergency kit may include food, bottled water and any other supplies that last up to 72 hours in a storm. Flashlights, extra batteries and any other emergency supplies are necessary to survive a few days, or even longer.
2. Develop a Family Communication Plan - Create an emergency contact list, either on a smartphone or printed on a laminated card tucked away in a wallet, purse or school backpack for everyone in the family. Find out what the school or daycare emergency procedures are during a hurricane. Enlist a friend or relative who lives out-of-state as an emergency contact person for family members to call to let everyone know they are safe. It is helpful if everyone in the family has a cell phone or a prepaid phone card to call your emergency contact person. Make sure everyone in the family, grandparents included, know how to send text messages. Sometimes during a severe storm, phone calls aren’t able to get through, but text messages may be sent and received.
3. Know Your Evacuation Routes - If you’re new to your community, become aware of your surroundings and any hurricane evacuation routes. Become informed about any dams or levees that could impact your home or rental during a severe storm, and know the quickest route to seek higher ground in a crisis situation.
4. Protecting Windows - If your home or rental doesn’t have permanent storm windows, purchase marine plywood that is cut and ready to be installed if the need arises.
If a Hurricane Strikes
1. Secure Your Home - Secure your home or apartment by closing your storm shutters and bringing any outdoor furniture or items indoors.
2. Listen to Local Emergency Broadcasts - Stay posted to local radio, television or online weather reports for up-to-date information.
3. Shut Off Utilities - Turn off propane tanks and other utilities if told to do so.
4. Locate Shelters - Seek shelter immediately if you live in a mobile home, a high rise apartment building or along the coastline or other bodies of water, including a floodplain or river.
5. Hunker Down - Stay indoors during the hurricane and try to keep away from windows and glass doors. Keep your curtains and blinds closed, as well as all interior doors. Do not ride in an elevator.
After the Hurricane
1. Confirm the Status of the Hurricane - Only return home after local officials have deemed it safe.
2. Survey Damages - Damages can be devastating, take the necessary steps to file a claim if you have flood insurance.
3. Limit Traveling - Drive only when necessary and attempt to avoid driving in flooded roadways or bridges that could be damaged by flooding. Severe storms can cause downed power lines and trigger landslides.
4. Stay Current - It’s important to continue to listen to local news and weather reports for the latest updates, or to find out if additional rain and flooding following the hurricane has ended.
Following these simple tips will help keep you safe during the next hurricane season.
About WhiteFence.com
WhiteFence.com is a free service that helps homeowners and renters compare, connect and save money on phone, internet, television, electricity, natural gas, and other home services. By simply entering a street address onto the secure site, people looking to save money or start new service can find the most comprehensive list of plans available for their specific address from over 300 nationally recognized partners. As a trusted home service shopping source for 20 million people annually, WhiteFence.com makes it easy to establish service directly on the site in a few simple steps. WhiteFence.com is an Internet Capital Group partner company. WhiteFence.com is headquartered in Houston, Texas. For more information, please visit WhiteFence.com.
Neil Austin, WhiteFence, http://www.whitefence.com/, (713) 663-0183, [email protected]
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