By Todd Torsrud
Series 1 of 5:
Do you know what to do before a storm or hurricane is to hit your state or area?
Most people who haven’t dealt with one, will be in the same boat as I was when I first moved down here to Florida. So I’m going to go over some of the key things that you need to do before the storm.
Outside of the house:
1. Make sure trees and shrubs are trimmed, and have holes in them to allow wind to blow through them. If you don’t do that, the wind will catch the tree, and blow down the tree on your house, your yard, or even in your street.
2. Move all loose items like lawn chairs, tables, pots of plants, and all loose items indoors. Or if you have a pool and the item(s) can be in there, throw them in the pool. If you can pick up the item, the hurricane will be able to pick up the item as well.
3. Cover your windows with plywood or hurricane shutters! DO NOT cover your windows with duct tape because it’s completely useless.
Inside of the house:
1. Document everything of value in your home like your tv’s, dvd/blue-ray players, vcr (if you own one), all electronics, and all valuables. Document them in photos or videos or both. Even write them down on paper. Take all of your documentations put them on DVD’s or CD’s, and put them in a water-proof container or plastic bag. Take the container/bags, and put them near where you can grab them if you have to evacuate or leave if you home is damaged. Also, please make sure old photos (on paper) are in a safe and dry location, and protected from water. The documentation is for insurance purposes only. Also, try to price your valuables as well.
2. Make sure you have all of your supplies ready which I will cover in another blog of what to buy to survive a hurricane.
3. Pick a location in your house that you will be staying in during the hurricane.
4. Make sure you have all important paperwork and insurance in a container or plastic bag, and in an area where you can grab it.
If you have to evacuate, make sure you know where you will be going, and what routes you will take to get there. Having a plan now of where to go will save time, and the place you are going will be ready to accommodate you. If you live in a mobile home, GET OUT! Don’t even stay even if you are in a manufactured home. Those things will get tossed quite easily.
If you follow these steps before the storm, you’ll be ready before the storm hits. These are just some of the things I’ve had to deal with since those past storms I went through. Please visit ready.gov on how to prepare for a storm.
To learn more about Todd and his extreme weather chasing stories, click here
