PREPARING FOR A HURRICANE

Every year families should review their hurricane plan and make changes as necessary. If you plan to evacuate, your plan should include where you will go, the route to get there, when you will leave and what to take with you, and what preparations you will make to your home.

If you plan to stay, make sure that you have all of the supplies necessary to be on your own for at lest 72 hours. If you are planning to go to an evacuation shelter, have your shelter-supplies kit packed and ready.

Make sure that you have all the materials on hand to protect your home and that you prepare your home no later than when a hurrican warning is issued. you should also trim dead wood and limbs from your trees.

Don't forget to make arrangements for your pets

If a storm is threatening the area, listen to local media for information and actions to be taken.

In addition you should

• Fuel your vehicle
• Bring in outdoor objects such as lawn furniture, toys and garden tools
• Install your storm shutters or plywood and secure all doors
• Prepare boats as appropriate
• Turn up refrigerators and freezers to their coldest settings
• Turn off small appliances that are not needed
• If you evacuate, turn off your air conditioner. If you stay at home and the power goes off, turn off your air conditioner. Turn it back on only after power has been restored in your area
• Turn off all LP tanks
• Fill sinks and bathtubs with water
• Get an extra supply of cash

• Call someone out of town to let them know of your plans. Then instruct other family members to call that person for information about you after the storm. It is usually easier for you to call out of the area after a storm than it is for others to call into the area

During the storm

• Stay away from windows and doors, even if they are covered. Go to an interior first-floor section of the house suh as a hallway, bathroom or closet
• Close all interior doors and brace exterior doors
• Lie on the floor, under a sturdy object
• If the eye of the storm passes over, it will be clm for a short period of time. Remain indoors. As soon as the eye passes over, winds will increase rapidly to hurrican force from the opposite direction
• Remain calm. It might take several hours for the storm to pass

After the storm

• Drive only if it is absolutely necessary. Immediately following the passage of the storm, debris and flood waters may be covering roadways, making them impassble
• Stay on firm ground. Moving water only six inches deep can sweep you off your feet. Standing water may also be electrically charged from down power lines
• Beware of snakes, insects and animals driven to higher ground by flood waters
• Enter your home with extreme caution. Beware of fallen objects or damaged roofs and wall sections. Watch for nails, splinters, holes in walls or floors, wet or falling sections of ceiling, undermined foundations and gas leaks. Use flashlights. Do not use matches, torches or other open flame
• Remove shutters or playwood and open windows and doors to ventilate or dry your home if necessary
• Check gas, water and electrical lines and appliances for damage. Do not attempt to repair damaged gas or electrical lines
• Do not drink or prepare food with tap water until you are certain that it is not contaminated. The health department will issue advisories regarding drinking water in your area
• If your home has been flooded, flush plumbing fixtures with buckets of water to be sure they are open. Have health authorities inspect your sanitary disposal system. Water may have backed up into the septic tank, which in turn backs up into the plumbing system
• Use a flashlight, never candles
• Do not use food that has come in contact with flood waters

• Start clean-up as soon as possible, especially if your home was flooded. Take pictures of all damage before you begin clean-up or repairs, for insurance purposes. Thoroughly dry and clean your house before moving back into it
• Give special attention to cleaning children's toys, cribs, playpens and play equipment. Boil any items a toddler or baby might put in his mouth
• Wear protective clothing on legs, arms, feet and hands while cleaning up debris. Wear rubber gloves while scrubbing flood-damaged interiors and furniture
• Never connect portable generators to your house. Use them to run only the necessary appliances and plug the appliances into the generator

Hurricane Categories

• Category 1 - Sustained winds 74 to 95 mph, storm surge 4-5 feet
• Category 2 - Sustained winds 96 to 110 mph, storm surge 6-8 feet
• Category 3 - Sustained winds 111 to 130 mph, storm surge 9-12 feet
• Category 4 - Sustained winds 131 to 155 mph, storm surge 13-18 feet
• Category 5 - Sustained winds greater than 155 mph, storm surge higher than 18 feet

Press of Atlantic City - September 16, 2003