Hurricane Preparedness

Hurricane Season Starts June 1 - Make Sure Your Family Is Ready 

The best way to keep your family safe this hurricane season is to be prepared. Take the time now, before the first storm hits, to assemble an Emergency Plan, an Emergency Supply Kit, and Secure Your Home.

Below are some useful tips that can help with the planning process. To find a wealth of resources on hurricane season, including how you can help in your neighborhood, please scroll down to the More Disaster Resources section.

If you have any questions or need help preparing your family for hurricane season, please call my office at 561-544-6910 and we will be happy to assist you.

In this photo: Congressman Klein discusses hurricane preparedness at the Palm Beach County Emergency Operations Center.

BE PREPARED

Make a Family Emergency Plan

Having a plan is the key to keeping your family safe during storm season. Sit down together before the first storm hits and discuss your plan of action for an emergency. Some steps you can take as part of your Family Emergency Plan are:

• Discuss the type of hazards that could affect your family. Know your home's vulnerability to storm surge, flooding and wind.

•  Locate a safe room or the safest areas in your home for each hurricane hazard. In certain circumstances the safest areas may not be your home but within your community.

• Determine escape routes from your home and places to meet. These should be measured in tens of miles rather than hundreds of miles.

•  Have an out-of-state friend as a family contact, so all your family members have a single point of contact.

•  Make a plan now for what to do with your pets if you need to evacuate.

• Post emergency telephone numbers by your phones and make sure your children know how and when to call 911.

•  Check your insurance coverage - flood damage is not usually covered by homeowners insurance.

•  Stock non-perishable emergency supplies and an Emergency Supply Kit

•  Use a NOAA weather radio. Remember to replace its battery every 6 months, as you do with your smoke detectors.

•  Take First Aid, CPR and disaster preparedness classes.

 

Create an Emergency Supply Kit

Take the time now to prepare a Disaster Supply Kit. This kit should include:

• Water - at least 1 gallon daily per person for 3 days

• Food - at least enough for 3 days

                              -  non-perishable packaged or canned food / juices
                             -  foods for infants or the elderly
                             -  snack foods
                             -  non-electric can opener
                             -  cooking tools / fuel
                             -  paper plates / plastic utensils

•  Blankets / Pillows, etc.

• Clothing - seasonal / rain gear/ sturdy shoes

• First Aid Kit / Medicines

• Special Items - for babies and the elderly

• Toiletries - hygiene items

• Flashlight / Batteries

• Radio - Battery operated and NOAA weather radio

• Cash

• Keys

• Toys, Books and Games

• Important documents in a waterproof container

                         -  insurance, medical records, bank account numbers
                         -  document all valuables with videotape if possible

•  Tools - keep a set with you during the storm

• Vehicle with fuel tanks filled

• Pet care items

                     - proper identification / immunization records
                     - ample supply of food and water
                     - a carrier or cage
                     - medications
                     - muzzle and leash

 

During a hurricane, homes may be damaged or destroyed by high winds and high waves. Debris can break windows and doors, allowing high winds inside the home. Make sure your home is ready before the storm hits. For more information on how to secure your home, from the roof to windows and doors and how to install storm shutters, please click here.

When a hurricane is over, it is important to:

•  If you evacuated, return home when local officials tell you it is safe to do so.

•  Inspect your home for damage.

•  Use flashlights in the dark; do not use candles, they are a fire hazard.

• If your property has been damaged, the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) may be able to provide tax counseling and assistance. For more information, please click here.

 

MORE DISASTER RESOURCES

•  The Florida Emergency Information Line (FEIL) is a toll-free hotline activated by the Department of Community Affairs / Division of Emergency Management at the time of an emergency to provide an additional resource for those in Florida to receive accurate and up-to-date information regarding an emergency or disaster situation impacting the State of Florida. The FEIL hotline is: 1-800-342-3557.

•  The Florida Division of Emergency Management operates a website – www.floridadisaster.org – with user-defined recommendations for hurricane protection, along with emergency contacts and evacuation routes.

•  The National Hurricane Center, operated by the National Weather Service, can help you track the path of a storm with the latest news and newest technology. Their website also has information about how your family can prepare for a storm. 

•  Americans are always willing to jump in and help their neighbors when a storm hits. For information on how you can help, please click here.