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Information provided by Ready.gov |
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Hurricanes are
severe tropical storms that form in the southern
Atlantic Ocean, Caribbean Sea, Gulf of Mexico
and in the eastern Pacific Ocean. Scientists can
now predict hurricanes, but people who live in
coastal communities should plan what they will
do if they are told to evacuate.
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Step 1: Get a
Kit
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Get an Emergency
Supply Kit, which includes items like
non-perishable food, water, a
battery-powered or hand-crank radio, extra
flashlights and batteries. You may want to
prepare a portable kit and keep it in your
car. This kit should include:
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Copies of
prescription medications and medical
supplies; |
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Bedding
and clothing, including sleeping bags
and pillows; |
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Bottled
water, a battery-operated radio and
extra batteries, a first aid kit, a
flashlight; |
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Copies of
important documents: driver’s license,
Social Security card, proof of
residence, insurance policies, wills,
deeds, birth and marriage certificates,
tax records, etc. |
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Make sure you
have a “to-go bag” ready in case you
need to evacuate, include:
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Water and
non-perishable food; |
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Battery
operated radio and batteries so you can
get important information from local
officials; |
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First aid
kit; |
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Flashlight; |
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Maps |
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Important
documents such as proof residence,
pictures of your family including pets,
insurance policies, and tax records; |
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Comfortable
clothing and blankets; |
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Unique
family needs such as prescription
medications, pet supplies, infant
supplies or any other unique need your
family may have; |
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Step 2:
Make a Plan
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Prepare
your family |
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Make a Family
Emergency Plan. Your family may not be
together when disaster strikes, so it is
important to know how you will contact one
another, how you will get back together and
what you will do in case of an emergency |
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Plan places
where your family will meet, both within and
outside of your immediate neighborhood. |
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You may also
want to inquire about emergency plans at
places where your family spends time: work,
daycare and school. If no plans exist,
consider volunteering to help create one. |
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Plan to
Evacuate
- Identify
ahead of time where your family will
meet, both within and outside of your
immediate neighborhood.
- Identify
several places you could go in an
emergency, a friend's home in another
town, a motel or public shelter.
- If you do
not have a car, plan alternate means of
evacuating.
- If you
have a car, keep a half tank of gas in
it at all times in case you need to
evacuate.
- Take your
Emergency
Supply Kit.
- Take your
pets with you, but understand that only
service animals may be permitted in
public shelters. Plan
how you will care for your pets in an
emergency.
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Take a
Community Emergency Response Team (CERT)
class. Keep your training
current. |
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Step 3:
Be Informed
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Familiarize
yourself with the terms that are used to
identify a hurricane.
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A hurricane
watch means a hurricane is possible
in your area. Be prepared to evacuate.
Monitor local radio and television news
outlets or listen to NOAA Weather Radio for
the latest developments. |
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A hurricane
warning is when a hurricane is
expected in your area. If local authorities
advise you to evacuate, leave immediately. |
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Hurricanes
are classified into five categories
based on their wind speed, central pressure,
and damage potential. Category Three and
higher hurricanes are considered major
hurricanes, though Categories One and Two
are still extremely dangerous and warrant
your full attention. |
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Saffir-Simpson
Hurricane Scale |
| Scale
Number (Category) |
Sustained
Winds (MPH) |
Damage |
Storm
Surge |
| 1 |
74-95 |
Minimal:
Unanchored mobile homes, vegetation and
signs. |
4-5 feet |
| 2 |
96-110 |
Moderate:
All mobile homes, roofs, small crafts,
flooding. |
6-8 feet |
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111-130 |
Extensive:
Small buildings, low-lying roads cut
off. |
9-12 feet |
| 4 |
131-155 |
Extreme:
Roofs destroyed, trees down, roads cut
off, mobile homes destroyed. Beach homes
flooded. |
13-18
feet |
| 5 |
More than
155 |
Catastrophic:
Most buildings destroyed. Vegetation
destroyed. Major roads cut off. Homes
flooded. |
Greater
than 18 feet |
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Hurricanes
can produce widespread torrential rains. Floods
are the deadly and destructive result. Slow
moving storms and tropical storms moving
into mountainous regions tend to produce
especially heavy rain. Excessive rain can
trigger landslides or mud slides, especially
in mountainous regions. Flash flooding can
occur due to intense rainfall. Flooding on
rivers and streams may persist for several
days or more after the storm. Learn more
about preparing your home or business for a
possible flood by reviewing the Floods
page. |
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Prepare
Your Home |
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Cover all of
your home's windows with pre-cut ply wood or
hurricane shutters to protect your windows
from high winds. |
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Plan to bring
in all outdoor furniture, decorations,
garbage cans and anything else that is not
tied down. |
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Keep all
trees and shrubs well trimmed so they are
more wind resistant. |
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Secure your
home by closing shutters, and securing
outdoor objects or bringing them inside. |
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Turn off
utilities as instructed. Otherwise, turn the
refrigerator thermostat to its coldest
setting and keep its doors closed. |
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Turn off
propane tanks. |
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Ensure a
supply of water for sanitary purposes such
as cleaning and flushing toilets. Fill the
bathtub and other large containers with
water. |
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Prepare
Your Business |
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Plan
to stay in business, talk to your employees,
and protect your investment. |
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Carefully
assess how your company functions,
both internally and externally, to determine
which staff, materials, procedures and
equipment are absolutely necessary to keep
the business operating. |
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Identify operations
critical to survival and recovery. |
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Plan what you
will do if your building, plant or store is
not accessible.
- Consider
if you can run the business from a
different location or from your home.
- Develop
relationships with other companies to
use their facilities in case a disaster
makes your location unusable.
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Learn about
programs, services, and resources at U.S.
Small Business Administration. |
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Listen
to Local Officials |
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Learn about the
emergency plans that have been established in
your area by local government. In any emergency,
always listen to the instructions given by local
emergency management officials.
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Additional
Resources |
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Find additional
information on how to plan and prepare for a
hurricane by visiting the following resources:
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