Keith Sagalow, Inc.
State Certified Building Contractor
Sarasota, Florida 34241-5923
License Number: CBC1251528

WHAT IS A HURRICANE?

A hurricane is a severe tropical storm that forms in the southern Atlantic Ocean, Caribbean Sea, Gulf of Mexico or the eastern Pacific Ocean. With violent winds starting at 74 miles per hour, it produces incredible waves, torrential rains and floods. Hurricane hazards come in many forms, so it's important for your family to be prepared and have a plan that covers every situation.

HURRICANE SAFETY TIPS

Determine if you live in an evacuation area. Know your home's vulnerability to storm surge, flooding and wind. Have a plan based on this information.
At the beginning of hurricane season, in early June, replace batteries, and check your supplies and food rations. Replenish if needed.
During hurricane season, monitor the tropics and NOAA Weather Radio.
If a storm is on the horizon, seek advice from local authorities. Evacuate if ordered.

EVACUATION PROCEDURES

Experts say you should not leave town before a hurricane hits. If told to do so, evacuate immediately and follow these instructions:

Call 941-342-1341

1. Plan to go somewhere near your home; a motel or friend's house a few miles away. Do not plan to leave the city or state.

2. Stay tuned to a battery-powered radio and follow the instructions of local emergency officials.

3. Wear protective clothing and sturdy shoes.

4. Take your Disaster Supply Kit.

5. Lock your home.

6. Use travel routes specified by local authorities. Don't use shortcuts because certain areas may be impassable or dangerous.

7. Shut off water, gas and electricity (at the main fuse box) before leaving. Shutting them off guards your appliances against power surges and protects you from electrocution.

8. Before you leave, collect valuables and things you will need. For example; jewelry, credit cards and checkbooks.

9. Post a note telling others when you left and where you are going.

10. Make arrangements for your pets.

11. Elevate furniture to protect it from flooding or move it to a higher floor.

12. Bring outdoor objects inside.

Preparedness information courtesy of FEMA (www.fema.gov)

Safe Room CD from FEMA

Other useful tips the Red Cross suggests are:

Prepare a Personal Evacuation Plan
Identify ahead of time where you could go if you are told to evacuate. Choose several places -a friend's home in another town, a motel, or a shelter.
Keep handy the telephone numbers of these places as well as a road map of your locality. You may need to take alternative or unfamiliar routes if major roads are closed or clogged.
Listen to NOAA Weather Radio or local radio or TV stations for evacuation instructions. If advised to evacuate, do so immediately.
Check the National Weather Service website
Take these items with you when evacuating:
- Prescription medications and medical supplies;
- Bedding and clothing, including sleeping bags and pillows
- Bottled water, battery-operated radio and extra batteries, first aid kit, flashlight
- Car keys and maps
- Documents, including driver's license, Social Security card, proof of residence, insurance policies, wills, deeds, birth and marriage certificates, tax records, etc.
- Cash

Assemble a Disaster Supplies Kit Including the Following Items:
- First Aid kit and essential medications.
- Canned food and can opener.
- At least three gallons of water per person.
- Protective clothing, rainwear, and bedding or sleeping bags.
- Battery-powered radio, flashlight, and extra batteries.
- Special items for infants, elderly, or disabled family members.
- Written instructions on how to turn off electricity, gas and water if authorities advise you to do so. (Remember, you'll need a professional to turn them back on.)
  
  Besides damage from the storm surge, tornados often spawn from a hurricane, so it is important for you to be in a safe place.

Hurricane Safety

Hurricanes can spawn tornadoes, landslides and floods, so if you're in a hurricane's path, you should take extra precautions to ensure a safe evacuation and return to the area. Being prepared can help you escape the hurricane's trail of destruction.

If a hurricane threatens your area, take the following steps to protect yourself and your car or boat:

Be prepared

Leave the area and leave early. Use a hurricane planning guide/map or listen to the radio to identify your evacuation route.
Take important documents with you. Place your auto/home insurance documents, vehicle registration, title and other important documents in a waterproof bag and keep them with you.
Bring supplies. Bring along a flashlight and extra batteries, a first-aid kit, cash and credit cards and snacks and other food. Remember: You could end up spending a day or more in your car.

Drive safely

Fill 'er up. Fill your vehicle with gasoline as soon as possible to avoid the long lines.
Beware of live wires. Do not, under any circumstance, drive over a downed electrical line.
Avoid flooded streets. Do not travel down a road submerged in water. Underlying currents could carry your vehicle away and your car could stall, trapping you in rising floodwaters. Don't overlook deep water dangers during hurricanes. Dirty water and sediment flow in with sudden coastal and inland flooding, and if you try to drive through deep water, you're not only risking your personal safety, but you could damage your car's inside - seats, electrical components, carpeting, etc.

Notable statistic: More than half of all hurricane deaths in the last 30 years resulted from inland flooding, reports the National Hurricane Center. Of those deaths, one in four people drowned in a car.

What can you do to ensure driving safety?

If you are evacuating and leaving a vehicle behind, be sure it is not left in a low-lying area prone to flooding. Rising water can seep in and cause damage.
When you're evacuating or returning following a storm, watch for standing water in parking lots or on streets.
NEVER drive in standing water. Find an alternate route.
If you encounter a situation where you have no other reasonable alternative than to drive in standing water, first try to determine how deep it is by watching other vehicles that drive through it. Know that the threat of the roadway collapsing under water is real and that, depending upon the vehicle you drive, as little as two feet of water can cause your car to float and be carried away.
Drive slowly and steadily through the water.
If your vehicle stalls in the deep water and you attempt to re-start it, you may cause irreparable damage to the engine. However, you may need to re-start the car if this is the only way you can make it to safety.
If you and your vehicle become trapped in rising water, immediately abandon it for higher ground. If you are unable to get out of the vehicle safely, start the vehicle and drive it out. If the vehicle will not start, call 911.
Once you and your vehicle are out of deep water and are in a safe area, depress your brakes slowly several times to help dry them out.

Sources: NOAA, AAA, National Hurricane Center

Don't forget your boat

Before a hurricane approaches, experts recommend these two preventive steps:

Make sure you have everything you need to secure your boat - extra lines, chafe protection, fenders, anchors, port plugs, duct tape, extra batteries, etc.
Decide where you'll keep your boat during a hurricane and how you'll get it there. Consider the risks of storing your boat in the water or ashore. Move your boat before a hurricane watch is posted - bridges may be locked down or storage buildings may be too crowded. Marinas also may be too busy to haul your boat.

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