Skip to main content

Tag: hurricane checklist

Tips for surviving hurricane season

Written by Sun staff on . Posted in Hurricane Guide Archives.

It’s easy to forget things when a hurricane is coming. Here are some reminders:

  • Plan where you will evacuate in advance, and tell friends or family in other states.
  • Register special needs residents in advance for county transportation to evacuation shelters.
  • Check your insurance policies – wind, flood and liability – to make sure they are in effect.
  • Find the elevation of your home at www.my.manatee.org.
  • Anna Maria Island residents and business owners should obtain or locate their re-entry tags from their city before evacuating. They are available at Anna Maria City Hall, Bradenton Beach City Hall and the Holmes Beach Police Department. One tag per residence or business is issued.
  • Consider buying a generator; ethanol-free gas to power generators is available at marinas.
  • Find out where sandbags will be provided and stock up.
  • Vacation rental agents should provide a hurricane guide in each rental unit during hurricane season.
  • Bridges to Anna Maria Island may be closed as a hurricane approaches and water and electricity may be shut off, so evacuate when ordered.
  • Turn off water, electric and gas mains when you leave to avoid broken pipes.
  • Bring medicines, cash – both paper and coins for vending machines – and disaster kits to shelters.
  • Research how to turn your cell phone into a wi-fi hotspot before you lose cell service.
  • Research how to extend battery life on your cell phone before the battery goes dead or buy a spare battery pack for your phone; remember, you can also charge your phone in your car.
Hurricane Irma Damage

Home, pool and yard preparation checklists

Written by Sun staff on . Posted in Hurricane Guide Archives.

Home preparation

  • Install shutters on all openings, including windows, doors, sliding glass doors, French doors, and garage doors.
  • If using plywood, purchase 5/8″ thick plywood well before a storm arrives, pre-measure, pre-drill and label each piece, or buy clips to attach plywood to window frames.
  • Install impact-resistant windows.
  • Caulk or install weather stripping around windows.
  • Install three door hinges on outside doors.
  • Install deadbolts that extend one inch into the door jamb on outside doors.
  • Repair loose or missing roof shingles.
  • Inspect soffits for adequate fasteners.
  • Replace loose or missing soffits.
  • Outside, seal openings from air conditioning refrigerant lines, water heater pressure relief lines, water pipes, cable and satellite TV wires, telephone wires, Internet wires and exhaust fan vents from bathroom, kitchen, clothes dryer.
  • Inside, seal around electrical boxes and circuit breaker panels, electrical outlets, exhaust fan vents.
  • Bring loose items inside, including garbage cans, lawn furniture, decorations, hoses, hanging plants, grills.
  • Turn off or disconnect electric, gas, water and sewer before evacuating.

Mobile home preparation

  • Inspect, repair or add tie-down straps and anchors according to Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles standards.
  • Make sure straps are properly aligned and not at an angle.
  • Check to be sure the proper number of tie-downs have been installed properly.
  • Verify that ground anchors and stabilizer plates have been installed properly.
  • Be sure support piers are in contact with the frame.
  • Replace straps or ground anchors that show signs of corrosion or damage.
  • Inspect and repair wood rot and termite damage in wall-to-floor connections, wall-to-roof connections, perimeter joists, and trusses.
  • Inspect fasteners if the home has a roof-over.
  • Close shutters.
  • Secure loose outdoor objects.
  • Turn off or disconnect electricity, gas, water, and sewer.
  • Establish a community evacuation plan for your mobile home park
  • Make a list of residents’ phone numbers, alternate addresses.
  • Assign each neighbor a partner to help them evacuate.

Swimming pool preparation

  • Lower the water level to reduce flooding potential.
  • Do not empty the pool, it could pop out of the ground.
  • Turn off electrical power to the pool.
  • Store filter pump motor indoors to keep it dry.
  • Store loose items indoors, not in the pool, to protect from chemicals.
  • Add extra chlorine to use pool water for washing and flushing.
  • Inspect and repair or replace pool screen hardware.
  • Remove two opposite pool screen panels to allow wind to blow through.

    Trees post-Irma
    Trees were down on Anna Maria Island after Hurricane Irma. – Cindy Lane | Sun

Yard preparation

  • Trim weak branches.
  • Hire licensed trimmers to trim near power lines.
  • Trim early enough before the storm to allow branches to be removed from property to keep them from becoming projectiles.

Related coverage

Forecasters agree: We’re in for stormy weather

Where to get weather alerts

Help is available during hurricanes

Tips for surviving hurricane season

Prepare your pets for storms

Prepare your boat for a hurricane

Re-entry tags needed to return after storms

Manatee County hurricane shelter list

Lessons learned from Hurricane Irma