Getting Ready for Hurricane Season
📍 Downtown St. Pete, Florida
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June 1st marks the beginning of Hurricane Season. In years past, I wouldn’t have given this a passing thought. Such is life when you live in the Sunshine State. This year feels a little different, and my blood pressure is up. If you’re new here, you may not know that our home flooded from the very last Tropical Storm of the year. Although it is almost entirely back to normal, I still have some anxiety from the 10 inches that came into our home. When we made the last-minute decision to pack up and evacuate, we had no idea what would be left of our starter home. From now until December (and possibly longer), I’ll be holding my breath and praying that this year’s Hurricane Season will be kind to us. Still, here’s how I’m getting our home ready for hurricane season.
Reevaluate Your Home and Insurance Policy
When thinking about future storms, my biggest concern is obviously our home. While there isn’t much you can do to fight against storm surge and flooding, you’re not helpless. I recommend performing a diagnostic check on the exterior of your home. In particular, it’s important to know that the roof over your head is in good condition and doesn’t need to be repaired in any way. If your home is older, it may be worth the splurge to update the windows with something that withstand hurricane-force winds. At the very least, double-check the windows and doors for cracks and have shutters on hand in case a storm is predicted to come your way.
In that same light, now is the time to reevaluate your home’s insurance policy. Depending on where you live, you may be required to have flood insurance. Because our neighborhood is right on Tampa Bay, we fall into this category. Decide if you want to increase your coverage and if that policy protects both your home and contents. I’m by no means an expert, so find a professional who can answer any lingering questions you may have.
Stock Up Your Hurricane Kit
No Florida home is complete without one! While it can take many different forms, we have a large plastic bin with plenty of non-perishable food to save for if the power runs out. It’s easy to forget about the Hurricane Kit once you make it, but everything has an expiration date. If you already have one, double-check the canned goods and replace your water. It may even be wise to a fresh pack of batteries too.
FEMA recommends having a 3-day supply for evacuations and a 2-week supply if you’re staying in your home if you’re starting a kit from scratch. The non-perishable food items can be whatever you prefer, but I always try to have a wide range of flavors (peanut butter, crackers, canned fruit) and fun treats to help take the sting out of hurricane anxiety. In terms of water, the rule of thumb is one gallon, per person, per day. Your Hurricane Kit should also include critical non-food items such as a first aid kit, flashlights, and a hand-crank radio. Don’t forget to have rations for all family pets.
Create An Evacuation Plan
There are so many different variables when it comes to creating a game plan. How bad is the storm supposed to be? What does the path look like? How long do I have to prepare? While there are so many last-minute decisions you’ll need to be ready to make, having an overarching strategy will give you peace of mind at the beginning of the season. Depending on the circumstances, we know that we can bunker down with my parents or escape to stay with my family on the east coast of Florida. Although it has never gotten to this point, we keep Tallahassee in mind as a destination if things are predicted to be dire.
Part of the evacuation plan is knowing what you’ll ultimately bring with you and how you’ll protect what stays. As part of my Hurricane Kit, I also keep a packing list to check off as I load the car. Having to leave your home is hard enough without dealing with the nagging feeling of forgetting something.
Make An Inventory Of Your Possessions
I’m speaking from our most recent experience. For insurance purposes, you’ll be asked to make an inventory of anything that was destroyed from the storm. Before this storm, I had never taken the time to list out what we owned. While I was able to backtrack, it was extremely time-consuming. Honestly, it seemed like a huge undertaking in terms of post-flood clean-up.
As you make your inventory, a simple Google Sheet worked for us. I included a description, the date I purchased it, and the price when I bought it. Because most of what I purchase is from online orders, I could track down a lot of the needed information. I had to take a picture of each item and, from there, linked it in the Google Sheets.
Take a deep breath. If you live in a hurricane-prone state, there’s no sense in spending the entire summer worrying about something beyond your control. By preparing at the beginning of the season, hopefully, you’ll be able to breathe easy for the rest of the summer.
Love from Florida,
Katie
As always, thanks for stopping by! To keep up with all things about the Sunshine State, be sure to visit my exclusive Florida page, here.