Hurricane Preparedness Center
Hurricanes can destroy property and devastate lives. Proactive planning is essential to keeping yourself and your loved ones safe during a hurricane and minimizing the impact of the storm. The Middle Atlantic and New England states are prone to major storms, which is why Plymouth Rock has assembled this hurricane preparedness checklist to help you be prepared for the next time a storm heads our way. Let’s get hurricane ready together.
When Does Hurricane Season Start?
The Atlantic hurricane season starts June 1, and the peak of the season is from mid-August to late October.
Build Your Emergency Kit
Stock supplies that will keep you and your family comfortable without basic services for at least three days. Your kit should be stored in a safe place and include, at a minimum:
When Does Hurricane Season End?
The season ends November 30.
What Causes a Hurricane?
Moist air from the ocean’s surface begins to rise quickly, where it encounters cooler air that causes the warm water vapor to condense, forming storm clouds and raindrops. The condensation also releases dormant heat, which warms the cool air above, causing it to rise and make way for more warm, humid air from the ocean below. As this cycle progresses, it causes a continuing heat exchange, creating a wind pattern that spirals around a relatively calm center.
How to Prepare for a Hurricane
Build Your Emergency Kit
Stock supplies that will keep you and your family comfortable without basic services for at least three days. Your kit should be stored in a safe place and include, at a minimum:
- Water (one gallon per person, per day)
- Nonperishable food, with manual can opener
- One blanket or sleeping bag per person
- First-aid kit
- Battery-powered or hand-crank radio (NOAA Weather Radio, if possible)
- Emergency tools (wrench to shut off utilities; multipurpose knife)
- Flashlight
- Batteries
- Whistle to signal for help
- Cash
- Medication
- Toiletries (sanitation and personal hygiene items)
- Local maps
- Cell phone with backup chargers
- Pet supplies (food, water, leash, medication and plastic bags)
Gather Important Documents
Essential documents should be stored in an easy-to-reach, waterproof container. Among the documents you should collect: medical records, insurance policies, driver’s licenses, birth certificates, marriage certificates, passports, bank information, the deed/lease to your home and an inventory of your personal belongings.
Make a Plan
Determine how your family will communicate and reconnect. Remember, cell phones might not work during an emergency.
- Choose a meeting location outside of your neighborhood
- Teach children to call 911 for help
- Post emergency numbers by the phone
- Designate an out-of-state relative or friend as a common contact
Mind Your Car
Your car is a valuable asset that you might need if evacuations are ordered or advised. Park it in a secure spot away from trees and potential flooding. Make sure to fuel up because gas supplies can become short.
Take Steps to Safeguard Your Home
Strong hurricane winds can turn loose objects into potentially deadly projectiles, damaging property such as windows and doors. Much serious property damage actually occurs after the windstorm, when rain enters structures through broken windows, doors, garage doors and roofs. Take these steps to minimize damage:
- Trim shrubbery and cut weak branches.
- Seal outside vents, electrical outlets, garden hose bibs and openings for wires and pipes.
- Install storm shutters to protect your windows.
- Replace old garage doors and tracks.
- If you own a boat on a trailer, anchor the trailer to the ground or house.
Back Up Your Electronic Devices
If you are not storing your data online through a cloud storage or file-sharing service, be sure to back up important files and keep the data on an external hard drive or flash drive in a safe, offsite location.
Take Inventory of Your Personal Property
Creating a list of your personal possessions will help ensure that you have adequate insurance to repair or replace them. This can also help speed the claims process, substantiate losses for income tax purposes and make it easier to apply for disaster aid.
Check Your Insurance Coverage
Homeowners and renters should contact their insurance agent to confirm if their policy covers damage caused by flooding. Many people do not realize this is not a part of standard homeowners and renters insurance policies, and that people living outside of flood zones are also vulnerable. In fact, nearly 20% of flood insurance claims come from outside of high-risk areas, according to the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA).
Stay Informed
Keep up to date during an emergency. Generally, you should have several days’ notice before a hurricane makes landfall. Keep track with these sources:
- Local radio and TV
- National Weather Service
- Connecticut Department of Emergency Services
- New Jersey Office of Emergency Management
- Massachusetts Family Hurricane Preparedness
- American Red Cross
- Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA)
- Ready New Hampshire
Remember, the best time to prepare for a hurricane is when there isn’t one in the forecast. For additional hurricane preparedness tips learned from experience, click here.
