A Resident's Definitive Guide to Hurricane Preparedness and Safety

The Unpredictable Nature of Hurricanes and the Power of Preparation

We've seen it happen time and again: a resident makes a plan to evacuate for a Category 3 storm, only to wake up and find it on their doorstep, with winds already too high to risk leaving. As the poet Robert Burns noted, "The best-laid plans of mice and men / Go oft awry." Hurricanes are powerful, unpredictable forces of nature, and this reality makes preparation a non-negotiable responsibility for ensuring the safety of your family and protecting your property.

The purpose of this guide is to provide clear, actionable, and fact-based advice to help residents in hurricane-prone areas make informed decisions and take adequate protective measures. It is a curated collection of best practices and hard-learned lessons designed to get you through the hurricane season safely.

Adequate preparation begins not just with what to do, but also with what not to do. Therefore, the first step is to unlearn the common and dangerous misinformation that can put you and your loved ones at greater risk.

Debunking Dangerous Hurricane Myths: Separating Fact from Fiction

In a storm, misinformation is as dangerous as a downed power line. Relying on long-held but incorrect "tips" can lead to severe property damage, serious injury, or even death. This section serves as a critical tool for resident safety by distinguishing between dangerous fiction and life-saving fact.

Myth: Taping windows prevents them from breaking.

The Dangerous Reality: This is one of the most persistent and hazardous myths. Crisscrossing windows with duct tape or electrical tape does not reinforce the glass or protect it from breaking under the force of hurricane winds or flying debris. Instead, the tape holds the broken glass together, creating larger, heavier, and more hazardous shards that resemble daggers.

The Safer, Effective Plan: The only reliable way to protect windows is to cover them. The best options include professionally installed storm shutters or securing 5/8-inch plywood over the entire window. The plywood must be attached directly to the window frame, not just the glass, to prevent the whole covering from being blown out. Other practical solutions include installing panels made of super-tough, translucent fabrics.

Myth: Cracking windows keeps them from imploding due to pressure changes.

The Dangerous Reality: While it is true that hurricanes have very low atmospheric pressure, opening a window "just a crack" to equalize it is a flawed and dangerous strategy. An open window, no matter how small the crack, provides an entry point for 100-plus-mile-per-hour winds. Cracking a window will have no meaningful effect on equalizing the pressure. It will instead create a vulnerability, inviting the destructive force of the storm directly into your home and risking catastrophic damage to your roof and walls.

The Safer, Effective Plan: Keep all windows and doors securely closed and locked. Your primary defense is a strong, sealed building envelope. To truly protect against pressure changes and wind, install steel or aluminum storm panel shutters on the exterior of your windows.

Myth: Protecting your home from high winds is sufficient to guarantee your safety.

The Dangerous Reality: The dramatic visuals of high winds often overshadow a more lethal threat. According to the National Weather Service, inland flooding is responsible for the majority of deaths in hurricanes. Massive rainfall can cause swamps and rivers to swell to major flood stages days after the storm's winds have passed, contaminating the water with hazards like sewer leakage and turning a quality-of-life issue into a severe health crisis.

The Safer, Effective Plan: Heeding evacuation warnings is the most critical action you can take to protect your life and safety. No amount of home preparation can save you from floodwaters. Thinking you can "wait it out" because you've "been through so many hurricane seasons" can be a fatal miscalculation.

With these dangerous myths dispelled, you can now focus on a structured plan for adequate and correct preparation.

Your Essential Hurricane Action Plan: A Step-by-Step Checklist

The most effective way to prepare for a hurricane is to follow a systematic approach. Breaking down the necessary tasks into manageable categories ensures that all critical actions are completed well before a storm's arrival, when supplies are available, and you can operate with a clear mind.

1. Securing Your Home and Property

• Install Professional Shutters or Board Up Windows: Install professional storm shutters or board up all windows and doors with 5/8-inch plywood, ensuring it is attached securely to the window frame, not the glass itself.

• Purchase Supplies Early: Do not wait until an evacuation announcement. Plywood, batteries, and other essential supplies will sell out quickly.

• Clear Your Yard Now: Bring all outside items—including furniture, decorations, toys, tools, umbrellas, glass tabletops, and planters—into a garage or inside your house immediately. Do not wait until the day before the storm.

• Prepare for Water Intrusion: Place old rags and beach towels tightly along all windowsills and door thresholds. Even with the best windows, intense wind pressure can force rainwater to seep inside.

2. Assembling Your Emergency Supply Kit

• Maximize Your Ice Supply: Run your ice makers continuously and bag the ice in freezer bags. Fill space in your freezer to help keep food frozen longer during a power outage.

• Create Blocks of Ice: Freeze tap water in Tupperware-style containers and clean 2-liter soda bottles. These large blocks thaw slowly, can be used to keep your refrigerator cold, and provide a source of water for drinking, cleaning, or for pets.

• Store Water for Sanitation: Fill bathtubs with water (this non-potable water is essential for sanitation and flushing toilets when municipal services fail).

• Use Perishables First: Plan your meals to consume refrigerated and perishable foods before the storm hits.

• Charge Everything: Charge all cell phones, laptops, and portable power banks fully. Have a supply of fresh batteries for flashlights and radios.

• Keep Clothes and Gear Dry: Pack a change of dry clothes and sturdy, waterproof boots for each family member in heavy-duty plastic bags to protect them from water damage.

3. Preparing Your Family's Personal and Financial Affairs

• Withdraw Cash Now: Withdraw cash from an ATM. In a widespread power outage, credit card systems will not work. You will need cash for gas, tolls, or other necessities.

• Service All Vehicles: Fill the gas tanks of all vehicles. Check your tire pressure and oil levels.

• Protect Important Documents: Take screenshots of all vital documents (ID, insurance policies, birth certificates, deeds) and email them to yourself for cloud access. Place the original documents in sealed, waterproof bags or plastic bins to take with you in case you need to evacuate.

• Establish an Evacuation Plan: Create a clear evacuation plan, including your destination and route. Share this plan with family members so everyone is aware of your location.

• Provide for Pets: Gather necessary food, water, and supplies for pets and livestock. Ensure you have copies of their vet records in case you need to use a storm-safe boarding facility.

• Secure Firearms: Properly secure all firearms and ammunition according to safe storage guidelines.

Completing these preparations is the foundation of your safety plan. The next step involves making the most critical decision of all: whether to evacuate.

4. The Critical Evacuation Decision: When to Stay and When to Go

The decision to evacuate is one of the most serious choices a resident will make during a hurricane. While a "mandatory evacuation" order cannot legally force you from your home, ignoring such a directive is a grave risk. This decision is an assessment of your personal circumstances, not complacency or habit.

Factors to Consider When an Evacuation is Ordered:

• Your Level of Preparedness: Have you fully secured your home and assembled all necessary supplies?

• Your Home's Structural Integrity: How confident are you in your home's ability to withstand high winds?

• Assess Your Flood Risk: Remember, inland flooding is the leading cause of hurricane-related fatalities. Being outside a primary wind zone does not mean you are safe. Be aware of your elevation and proximity to rivers, swamps, and other areas prone to flooding.

• Your Health Status: Do you or a family member have medical conditions that require electricity or access to emergency services?

• Your Financial Situation: While a difficult consideration, you must assess if you have the resources to evacuate and find temporary shelter.

• Availability of Emergency Services: You must understand that if you choose to stay behind in a mandatory evacuation zone, first responders will be completely unavailable should you need them.

A technical expert who trains glass repair professionals across the country shared a powerful cautionary tale: his uncle died during Hurricane Katrina because he believed he could "wait it out," having "been through so many hurricane seasons." Experience is no guarantee of future outcomes.

Be prepared and understand that whether you evacuate or shelter in place, you will navigate distinct, life-threatening hazards both during and after the storm.

5. During and After the Storm: Navigating Immediate Dangers

Even with perfect preparation, the storm period and its immediate aftermath present unique and serious hazards. Navigating this phase safely requires constant vigilance and an understanding of the specific threats that arise once the storm is upon you.

Riding Out the Storm

For those who are sheltering in place, the following actions are essential:

• Keep your fully charged phones and extra batteries within reach.

• Have life jackets accessible for every member of your household, especially if you are in an area with a risk of storm surge or flash flooding.

• Continuously monitor official warnings for localized threats like flash floods and tornadoes, which are common within the bands of a hurricane.

Post-Storm Hazards

The danger does not end when the wind dies down. The aftermath can be just as deadly.

• Major Flooding: Be aware that rivers can continue to rise for days after the rain has stopped. For example, after Hurricane Dorian dropped over 9 inches of rain in two days, the Waccamaw River was forecast to crest at 15.5 feet—well into its 14-foot major flood stage—days after the storm's winds had passed.

• Contaminated Floodwaters: Assume that all floodwaters are hazardous. They are often contaminated with sewer leakage and other pollutants, posing a significant health risk to anyone who comes into contact with them.

Staying Informed

Accurate, up-to-date information is your most valuable asset during and after a storm.

• Rely on official sources for weather updates and safety instructions.

• Use tools like the Advanced Hydrologic Prediction Service from the National Weather Service. This resource provides the most current river level data and forecasts, allowing you to track flood effects in your specific location.

It is crucial to remain vigilant and informed, even after the sky has cleared, as the most severe impacts may still be to come.

Your Safety is in Your Hands

Preparation is the most powerful tool you have to protect your life, your family, and your property from the devastating impact of a hurricane. The unpredictable nature of these storms means that waiting until a threat is imminent is waiting until it is too late. Often, the difference between a story of survival and a tragedy happens in the days leading up to the storm's landfall.