The Center for Disease Control and Prevention (or the CDC) recommends that anyone living in a coastal area that is at risk for tropical storms or hurricanes begin preparing for the upcoming storm season before it begins. Hurricane season in the Atlantic is from June 1 through November 30.
Before the threat of a storm, stock up on emergency supplies for your home and car. Make sure to have clean containers for water, at least 5 gallons of water per person. You should also make sure that you have a 3-5 day supply of food that won’t spoil and also enough prescription medication to last at least a few weeks.
When stocking your home, make sure you have:
- fire extinguisher
- batter-powered radio
- flashlights
- extra batteries
- extra blankets or sleeping bags
- supplies to make safe drinking water (chlorine bleach or iodine tablets)
Optional items for your home include:
- hand sanitizer
- wet cleaning clothes (such as baby wipes)
- soap
- toothpaste
- feminine products
- diapers
Items you should keep in your care should include:
- food that won’t spoil
- flares
- jumper cables
- maps
- tools
Make sure to know different routes to take if you need to leave your home and where all of the nearest storm shelter are located. Everyone in the home should know what the hurricane warning sirens sound like and what to do if they should happen to go off.
Having windows and doors replaced with impact windows and doors will give you one last thing that you will need to worry about when a tropical storm or hurricane is approaching your area. If your home does not have these types of windows or doors installed, the qualified staff at Castle Impact Windows will be happy to come out to your home and assist you with choosing the best fit and also give you a free estimate.
