As the storm approaches, the National Hurricane Center may deem an area under a Hurricane Watch or a Hurricane Warning.

Hurricane Watch – Hurricane may have landfall in the area within 24-48 hours

Hurricane Warning – Hurricane is expected to strike the area within 24 hours

Recommended Supplies

• Drinking Water – The local water supply may be interrupted or become contaminated. Store at least one gallon per person per day for three to five days, preferably two weeks. Extra water is needed for preparing food and for personal hygiene. Store water in food-grade containers. You can also fill clean, airtight containers such as two-liter soda jugs with drinking water. If you re-use disposable plastic bottles, do not keep them for more than a month. Do not use milk containers as they are difficult to clean thoroughly and don't have an airtight seal. (See Water)
• Food – At least enough for three to five days including non-perishable packaged or canned food that needs no refrigeration and can be prepared without cooking. (See Food and Refrigerators & Freezers)
• Coolers for ice and cold food storage in case the power goes out
• Battery-Operated Radio w/ extra batteries or hand-crank radio
• Flashlight (w/ extra bulbs and batteries)
• Matches – Stored in a waterproof container
• Fire Extinguisher
• Hard-line telephone with jack (not cordless)
• Emergency Cooking Facilities
• A three- to five-day supply of special items for babies such as formula, food, wipes, and diapers; special foods for the elderly; toiletries and extra toilet paper.
• Extra Medicine – Contact your pharmacy and obtain a 30-day supply of medications.
• Pet food, cat litter and other pet-care items
• Manual Can Opener/Bottle Opener
• Paper goods such as plates, bowls, napkins, towels, and plastic eating utensils
• First Aid Kit and Manual
• Bleach (for purifying water)
• Shutters, Lumber
• Emergency Repair Materials and Tools – Keep receipts as these expenditures may be covered by insurance. Items to include are cord and rope, hammer and wood nails, saw, hatchet or axe, crowbar, chain saw blades, tarp, duct tape and heavy work gloves
• Plastic trash bags and ties
• Extra re-sealable plastic storage bags, heavy-duty aluminum foil and disposable aluminum pans
• Extra charcoal or propone gas for outdoor cooking. Sterno can also be used. Never cook with any of these inside your house—the smoke and fumes are deadly.
• Fire extinguisher (ABC type)
• Mosquito repellent with DEET
• Sunscreen
• Toys, books and games to keep children and adults entertained during and after the storm
• Full Tank of Gasoline – Gas pumps do not work without electricity
• Cash and Credit Cards
• Sturdy Shoes
• Special Medical Equipment and Supplies (e.g. extra oxygen, hearing aid batteries, etc.)

Recommended Activities

• Monitor local radio and television stations for up-to-date information on the status of the storm.
• Determine the location of the nearest American Red Cross Shelter in the event you have to evacuate (See Shelters)
• Keep appliances plugged in until power fails, then turn off and unplug appliances (See Refrigerators & Freezers)
• Prepare your property, including your boat (See Boat) , your swimming pool (See Swimming Pool), your airplane (See Aircraft), and your automobile (See Automobiles & Trucks).
• Make arrangements for shelter and safety of pets (See Animals).
• Persons requiring special medical assistance – such as oxygen tanks or kidney dialysis – should make arrangements for care in the event of an extended power outage.
• Pregnant women who are two weeks from due date or considered high-risk should consult their physician.

Recommended Activities

• If you reside in a mobile home, check tie-downs and evacuate immediately.
• Continue to monitor local radio or television stations for up-to-date information on the status of the storm.
• Discount rumors and use the telephone sparingly.
• Prepare for high winds: brace garage doors, lower antennas and prepare for making repairs.
• Store tree or bush trimmings indoors, away from wind.
• Anchor loose outdoor objects securely or bring indoors (garbage cans, awnings, garden tools, toys, etc.)
• Protect doors and windows (See Windows).
• Protect valuables and personal papers from the storm – put in waterproof containers and store in the least vulnerable location.
• Prepare for tornadoes (See Tornadoes) or floods (See Flooding).
• Re-check supplies.
• Evacuate early if located in an evacuation zone or in a mobile home. Travel no further than necessary as roads may be jammed. Take “survival” supplies (first aid kit, drinking water, canned or dried foods, manual can opener, utensils, extra medication, etc.)
• Keep important papers with you at all times, including driver's license and other identification, insurance policies, property inventory, medic-alert or device to convey special medical information, etc. Important papers should be housed in a waterproof container.

• Stay indoors in a secure location. The strongest part of a house is usually away from windows and exterior doors. In a one-story home, the strongest room if often a bathroom or walk-in closet near the center of the home. In a two-story home, the strongest wall is often near the stairwell; a closet or cubicle nearby may be the safest spot.
• Place towels along window sills and the bottom of doors leading outside to keep water from coming in. Have buckets, mops and sponges handy in the event of flooding.
• Elevate valuables to table tops or high places if flooding occurs.
• Stay indoors as the calm eye of the hurricane passes over, unless repairs are absolutely necessary.
• Leave main breaker on unless electricity goes off. If electricity goes off, turn off air conditions, refrigerators, freezers and television sets. If power returns and is steady, equipment may be turned back on.
• Use flashlights for lighting when electricity goes off. A burning candle or cooking flame paired with a gust of wind through a door or window could start an accidental fire, and the fire department may not be able to respond during the storm.
• Use telephone for emergencies only. Jammed phone lines may obstruct emergency calls for police, fire rescue, emergency medical and Red Cross disaster units.
• Continue to conserve refrigeration. Open refrigerator and freezer doors as little as possible.
• Pull out fuse plugs at the fuse box inside the building or turn off switches at the circuit breaker box before flood water enters the building. When touching anything within an electrical panel, ensure that you are standing on a dry, insulated surface, have rubber soles and heels on your shoes and are not touching a ground with any part of the body. These precautions will reduce the chance of electrocution.
• Stay away from the fuse box, main breaker or electrical outlets in the event of flooding. Normally, the electrical current in the structure will fail with flooding.
• Remain indoors until the official “All Clear” is given by Broward County Emergency Management. If in doudt, call the Hurricane Hotline at 954-831-4000.

Beware of outdoor hazards – such as loose and dangling power lines. Report them immediately to the proper agency. (See Utilities)

• Walk or drive cautiously. Debris-filled streets are dangerous. Snakes and poisonous insects will be a hazard. Washouts may weaken road and bridge structures which could collapse under vehicle weight.
• Know what to do if you are returning to a flooded home (See Flooding).
• Guard against spoiled food (See Food and Refrigerators & Freezers).
• Do not use water until you know it is safe.
• Take extra precautions to prevent fires. Lowered water pressure in city mains and the interruption of other services may make firefighting difficult after a hurricane.
• Protect property from further damage. Plastic sheeting, plywood, lumber or any other material can be used to seal or protect property if it has been exposed by the storm. Make temporary repairs as necessary. Insurance companies will almost always pay for these and similar expenses. (save receipts)
• Notify insurance representatives of any losses
• Take photographs or a video of the damaged area to substantiate your claim.
• Prepare a detailed inventory of damaged or destroyed property for the adjustor. Include a description of the item, date of purchase, cost at time of purchase, estimated replacement cost.
• If you must leave the building, make sure it is secured and protected from further damage. Leave a note in a conspicuous place advising where you can be reached.
• Be patient. Hardship cases will be settled first by insurance representatives. Do not assume your settlement will be the same as your neighbors. In a major catastrophe, the insurance industry will have emergency offices and extra manpower to expedite claim settlements and to speed recovery.

Updated June 2008

Back to Table of Contents