Hurricane Irene
Many people think that hurricane season is during the summer. Wrong! While hurricane season does officially start on June 1, it extends until November 30. Also, it is important to remember that hurricanes typically come later in the season rather than early summer. The ten worst hurricanes in recent history took place between August and November:
HURRICANE SANDY (OCT 2012)
HURRICANE IRENE (AUG 2011)
HURRICANE GUSTAV (SEPT 2008)
HURRICANE WILMA (OCT 2005)
HURRICANE RITA (SEPT 2005)
HURRICANE KATRINA (AUG 2005-see below)
HURRICANE IVAN (SEPT 2004)
HURRICANE FLOYD (SEPT 1999)
HURRICANE ANDREW (AUG 1992)
HURRICANE HUGO (SEPT 1989)
Having grown up in the SC Lowcountry, I am well acquainted with hurricanes. Our family and our respective homes have seen more than their fair share. So we learned a long time ago to take them seriously. It is a good thing if you are in hurricane territory to have a hurricane kit (which could also be called a Disaster Kit and could apply to areas prone to other natural disasters). Those of you in areas prone to hurricanes probably know what I’m talking about. But we tend to get slack about such things if our area hasn’t been hit in a while or you may be a retiree or some other kind of transplant that hasn’t seen a hurricane–yet. So I thought that now was a good time to remind you that there are TEN things you need to know and have on hand in case of a hurricane:
1. FEMA suggests that you have enough supplies to last for two weeks.
2. Items should be placed in portable, water-resistant containers.
3. If you have to leave be sure to take proper ID. Most places require home owners to show proof of residency upon returning to an evacuated area. This typically includes your driver’s license, a copy of your utility or property tax bill, a copy of your deed or lease agreement. Be sure to check with city officials to find out what you’ll need for re-entry. In addition to re-try paperwork, you need to safeguard important documents, such as family records, insurance papers, and banking/mortgage/deed records.
4. medications
5. battery operated radio
6. battery operated flashlight
7. non-perishable food and water (at least one gallon per person per day) for family and pets. Be sure to include a manual can opener and disposable plates, cups, and utensils.
8. personal hygiene items (including sanitizing wipes and toilet paper) and clothing (including sturdy shoes or work boots)
9. tools, such as hammer and screwdriver, and gas for generators, etc.
10. entertainment (such as deck of cards, puzzles, board games, books)
You may also want to consider “luxury” items, such as a battery-operated fan, battery-operated reading light, and non-perishable treats for kids and pets. And remember to be careful with your pets. Paws can get badly cut if there is a lot of debris from the storm. Make sure your evacuation plan includes arrangements for your pet. So many pets had to be abandoned during bad storms like Katrina simply because no plan had been devised to include them. Remember that cell phone service and Wi-Fi access may be spotty or non-existent so plan on getting your news another way (hence #5 on list) and no video games or Internet (hence #10 on list).
Good resources include FEMA, www.fema.gov and National Weather Service, www.weather.gov
