We’ve survived a little over a week into the 2018 Atlantic hurricane season so far, and we’re hearing more and more about how bad this season could possibly be.
After experiencing Hurricane Harvey, many in Southeast Texas learned a valuable lesson in hurricane preparedness, including the importance of ensuring their insurance coverage is sufficient and the need to keep on hand the basic supplies necessary to be stuck in their homes for 4-7 days.
If you weren’t here for Rita, Ike, or Harvey, this article will be a guide for you. For those who did ride out these storms, this information will serve as a reminder and checklist for this year’s preparations.
Storage
Before I get into the supplies themselves, let’s discuss where we’re going to store them. I recommend a large, water resistant toolbox (mine is made by Husky and available at Home Depot), or plastic storage tubs. Be sure to keep it in a closet in the house, if possible, so that you don’t need to run to the garage or shed for supplies.
Food & Water
Fortunately, Harvey had limited consequences on municipal water supplies. Most of Houston had drinkable water for the duration of the storm. That will not be the same for all hurricanes. Because Harvey dropped a lot of rain, but didn’t have the wind behind it, many sections of Southeast Texas retained power for the duration of the storm. This allowed the water treatment plants to maintain operations, and for most residents to be able to cook food.
Future severe weather events might not be as favorable. A good rule of thumb is to have 1 gallon of drinkable water, per person, for 5 days.
You should have a supply of non perishable food, that doesn’t require heating, available as well. My personal favorites are tuna snack packs, jerky, summer sausage, and crackers. Depending on your dietary needs and preferences, you will need to adapt.
Batteries, Flashlights, and Candles
One of the greatest investments you can make is a flashlight that remains plugged into the wall. That way, when you lose electricity, the light automatically turns on so you can locate it in the dark.
Make sure you have a couple of good, high powered flashlights in case of an emergency. I also recommend having a battery powered lantern as well.
You will definitely want to have spare batteries as well. When it comes to flashlights, I like having 1 set per flashlight, per day. This is likely overkill for most situations. I enjoy reading at night, so this allows me to read for hours without worrying that I need to save the batteries for an emergency.
When it comes to maintaining communication with your friends and family, I keep a couple of cell phone battery packs charged. This way, whether I’m going out for a night on the town, or I have an emergency come up where I won’t be around a charger, I am powered up.
Of course be sure to charge your alarm clocks, laptops, and other portable devices you may want to use during the course of the storm.
I do keep a few long burning candles (think large Yankee candle jars), along with a couple of lighters, for additional lighting. Make sure it’s safe to burn the candles, and never leave them unattended.
Medical
It’s a smart idea to have a first aid kit on hand in normal times. It becomes even more important when emergency services might not be able to get to you.
I recommend having an extra week’s worth of prescription medication on hand, as well as a fresh bottle of Tylenol or Advil. Also, for me, allergy medication is key. My cheap Dollar Tree allergy meds work wonders!
Home Protection
Every time there is a storm in the Gulf, TV stations love to broadcast video of frantic homeowners rushing to buy plywood to cover their windows. To save yourself that particular headache, be sure to have the pieces of plywood pre-cut, and hurricane clips installed, well before a storm. The time spent fighting a hoard of other homeowners can be better spent in other areas of preparation.
In the immediate aftermath of a storm, some building supplies might be in short supply. Having a 20’x20’ tarp available, even if you are unable to install it yourself, can help speed along the process of mitigating damage to your home.
I also recommend having a few cleaning supplies, such as trash bags, bleach and rags, handy in the event you need them. Once such example is if you lose power for an extended period of time, and have to clean out your fridge and freezer.
Hand sanitizer also goes into this category for me. Trust me, you’ll thank me later.
Tools
Going back to the battery packs, I have a variety of Ryobi saws that are battery powered. If I needed to cut a tree limb that landed on my home, or a hole through my roof to escape rising flood waters, I’d quickly be able to.
Duct tape, as well as a tarp (as I mentioned above) always comes in handy.
I also have a good pair of rain boots and a heavy duty rain suit in the event I need to go outside during the storm for some reason.
Generator
If you have a generator, that’s great news! If you don’t, you may want to look into one for standby use. Make sure you follow all the safety procedures with operating a generator!
Gas
Of course, making sure the gas tank in your car is filled up is a great idea for many reasons. This is especially true during hurricane season. Long lines at the gas pumps can quickly form when a storm threatens the Texas and Louisiana coasts. Having a 5 gallon can full at home also can help alleviate some concerns. Please note, though, that gas in the can will eventually go bad, so be sure to use it, and resupply, about once a month.
Insurance
Having proper insurance coverage is key to rebuilding after a storm. Many homeowners learned this lesson the hard way after Harvey hit. Several of my clients also learned that they now have a 2% deductible on their roof, or that their flood insurance only covered the structure and not their belongings. Talk with your agent to make sure you’re properly covered, and if you’re having difficulty ensuring proper coverage, look at changing carriers. If they are that difficult to work with before a storm, imagine how difficult it will be when you are filing a claim.
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Be sure you have a paper in a waterproof envelope of your insurance policies (home, auto, life, medical), as well as an electronic copy stored off site, perhaps in your email or a cloud service like Google Drive or Microsoft OneDrive.
I also recommend having photos taken of the exterior and interior of your home, and storing those off site as well. This will help document damage for the insurance carrier, proving that new damage occurred during this particular weather event.
Cash
People have varying opinions on how much cash they like to carry. Personally, I prefer not to have cash on me. During a storm, that’s a different matter. I will keep about $200 on me, in $5 and $10 bills, just in case. ATM and credit card machines may not be functioning, so be sure to stock up before.
Entertainment
It gets boring being cooped up for a few days. Be sure you have a book or magazine to read, or board and card games to play. You don’t want to go stir crazy with only the news to keep you entertained!
I know it sounds like a lot of items, and you may not need any or all of them, but in another event like Ike (with no electricity for a week) or Harvey (unable to leave home for a week), you want to make sure you’re prepared!
Do you have suggestions of other preparations that should be considered? If so, be sure to let me know!
The Texan Roofer