How to be prepared for Hurricanes

Tropical Depressions Produce Deadly Storms

Hurricanes develop from tropical depressions (sustained winds up to 38 mph) to tropical storms (winds 39-73 mph) before becoming hurricanes (winds 74 mph or more). The winds, a product of extremely low pressure zones powered by moisture from the sea and heat from condensation, spiral downward counter-clockwise. If the barometer drops below 1,000 millibars (29.53 inches), you should start monitoring weather broadcasts on the radio.

Wind gusts within a hurricane may exceed the sustained winds by as much as 50 percent. The time between the first rise in wind and a return to moderate levels is often 24 hours or more. But this varies greatly, depending on the size of the hurricane, its forward speed and its path. Rainfall also varies with these factors. As a hurricane passes through an area, 5 to 30 inches of rain may fall!

Low pressure and strong winds around the hurricane's center raise the surface of the sea a foot or tow higher than the surrounding water in a dome sometimes 50 miles across. As the storm reaches shallow costal waters, the dome becomes a surge that can rise 20 feet or more. The surge may smash onto land as a whole, producing massive destruction and flash flooding of coastal lowlands, or it may come ashore in a series of giant waves. The highest storm surge is usually from near the eye of the hurricane in the quadrant where wins are blowing toward shore.

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Know your weather terminology

• ADVISORY: Hurricane and storm information disseminated to the public every six hours.
• INTERMEDIATE ADVISORY: Information updated every two-to-three hours, or as necessary.
• SPECIAL ADVISORY: Information disseminated with any significant change in storm-related weather conditions or warnings.
• GALE WARNING: An advisory of 39-54 mph sustained winds and strong wave action.
• STORM WARNING: An advisory that sustained winds of 55-73 mph are expected.
• HURRICANE WATCH: An indication that a hurricane may threaten a specific area but is not imminent.
• HURRICANE WARNING: An advisory that a hurricane is expected to strike the specified area within 24 hours or less, with sustained winds of 74 mph or higher and dangerously high water and waves.
• TROPICAL DISTURBANCE: a moving area of thunderstorms in the tropics.
• TROPICAL WAVE: a westward-moving, low-pressure trough in the deep easterly current that tends to organize low-level circulation and sometimes travels thousands of miles with little change in shape, producing showers and thunderstorms along its path.
• TROPICAL DEPRESSION: An area of low pressure, rotary circulation of clouds and winds up to 38 mph.
• TROPICAL STORM: Counter-clockwise circulation of clouds and winds of 39-73 mph. at this stage the storm is assigned a name.
• HURRICANE: A tropical storm with winds of 74 mph or more.
• HURRICANE CENTER or EYE: The relatively calm area near the center of the storm which can last from several minutes to more than an hour.

The amount of damage you can expect from a hurricane is directly linked to the wind velocity of the storm. Winds in an intense storm may reach a sustained velocity of more than 150 mph with gusts up to 200 mph. The National Hurricane Center uses the Saffir/Simpson scale that classifies storms into 5 categories.

• Category 1: Winds 74-95, storm surge four-to-five feet above normal. Flooded low-lying coastal roads, minor pier damage, some small craft in exposed anchorages torn from moorings.
• Category 2: Winds 96-110 mph, storm surge six-to-eight feet. Coastal and low-lying roads leading inland flooded two to four hours before the hurricane eye passes over. Piers damaged, marinas flooded, small craft in unprotected anchorages torn from moorings.
• Category 3: Winds 111-130 mph, storm surge nine-to-twelve feet. Smaller structures destroyed by coastal flooding; larger structures destroyed by battering waves and floating debris. Low-lying roads leading inland flooded three-to-five hours before the eye passes over.
• Category 4: Winds 131-155 mph, storm surge 13-18 feet. Flooding of flat terrain up to 10 feet above sea level as far as six miles inland. Major flooding and wave battering damage to lower floors of structures near shore. Low-lying roads leading inland flooded three-to-five hours before the eye passes over. Major beach erosion.
• Category 5: Winds above 155 mph, storm surge more than 18 feet. Major damage to lower floors of all structures less than 15 feet above sea level within 500 yards of shore.

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Being prepared

Hurricane Watch

A hurricane watch is issued when a hurricane may threaten an area but is not imminent. At this point, you should immediately begin to gather the survival supplies and materials you will need in the event a hurricane reaches your area.

• Materials to protect glass windows and doors (shutters, plywood, masking tape) and the tools to install and apply them.
• Several days' supply of canned food and beverages and non-perishable foods that don't need refrigeration or cooking. Buy food and beverages in containers and packages that will allow for immediate consumption with no leftovers.
• An adequate supply of needed prescription drugs, other medications and basic first aid supplies.
• Filled fuel tanks and safe battery water levels on your vehicles.
• A good supply of clean clothing and lines.
• A transistor radio and flashlights that work, along with fresh batteries to last several days.
• Fire extinguishers that are fully charged.
• Make arrangements ahead of time if you want to board pets at a veterinary facility.

A hurricane warning is issued for an area when a hurricane is expected to strike within 24 hours. If you know your home is structurally should and not likely to flood and you decide to ride the hurricane out, there are many simple but important precautions to take before the storm strikes.

• Listen to the radio for advisories and emergency information from local officials an the National Weather Services.
• Limit telephone calls to short, essential messages.
• If you are elderly or disabled, consider asking a friend to stay with you.
• If you have room, consider giving refuge to neighbors, relatives or elderly or disabled persons who live in a flood-prone area.
• If a doctor has advised that any ill or disable persons in your home stay elsewhere, move them early.
• If you don't have a vehicle, arrange ahead of time for transportation in case evacuation becomes necessary.
• When you complete your precautions, offer to assist neighbors, particularly families with very young, elderly or disable persons.

What to do Outside

• Disconnect and take down any TV antenna or small satellite dish.
• Remove or roll up and lash canvas awnings. Close and secure shutters. If you don't have shutters, board windows and sliding-glass doors. Cover screens in plastic trash bags and make sure they are securely in place.
• Secure outdoor items that might blow way or be torn loose and hurled through the air by the wind.
• Move carts and trailers from under trees and turn them over or remove the wheels.
• Cut down dead tree limbs and remove them, along with limbs on the ground near your home. Pick any fruit on your trees.
• Drains swimming pools about halfway. Disconnect the power and add extra chlorine to the water. If the filter pump is exposed, wrap it with water proof covering and tie it in place.
• Fill buckets with sand and take them inside for use if fire breaks out.
• Park vehicles in a garage or away from trees and utility poles. Set emergency brakes.

What to do Inside

• Make sure door and window locks hold securely. Wedge sliding glass doors with braces or broom handles to prevent their being lifted off the tracks or ripped loose by wind or vibrations. Have towels ready in case rain seeps in.
• Move furniture away from exposed doors and windows.
• Draw drapes and close blinds.
• Wrap glass objects, artwork, photographs, fragile items or sentimental value, tools, electronic equipment and small appliances and store them in a protected area. Do the same with jewelry, titles, deeds, insurance papers, licenses, stocks and bonds and inventory lists after placing them in waterproof containers.
• Sterilize the bathtub, washing machine and other containers with bleach and let them dry. Line the tub with plastic to prevent drain leakage and fill it and the other containers with water for drinking, cooking, washing, and bathing. (Note: boil this water before drinking it)
• As the hurricane winds strengthen, disconnect power at the master switch. If power is still on, don't touch electrical equipment in a wet location unless you are standing on a piece of dry wood and wearing rubber footwear and gloves.

During the Hurricane

• Remain indoors. Wind, downed live power lines and falling or flying trees and debris all pose serious danger.
• Stay on the side of the house opposite the direction the wind is coming from. As the wind shifts, move to a room on the opposite side. If you have a room within a room, such as a bathroom, stay there during the height of the hurricane. Keep away from windows and glass doors.
• Don't go out during the calm as the eye of the hurricane passes overhead. The wind may cease for several minutes or for an hour or more, and the sky may clear, but this is only the mid-point of the hurricane. The lull will end suddenly as the wind strikes from the opposite direction, rising rapidly to hurricane force, often stronger than before.
• If the roof blows off or the house shows signs of collapsing, take cover in a room within a room such as a bathroom or under a stairway, strong table or door frame.
• Make the effort to remain clam and encourage your family members, especially children, to stay calm. Stay inside until you are absolutely sure it's safe to go out again.

If you decide to go to a shelter:

When a hurricane threatens your area, you must decide whether to evacuate or ride out the storm at home. Listen to the radio for weather advisories, and if authorities recommend evacuation for your area, leave promptly. In general, plan to leave if you live on the coast or in a low-lying area not far inland, in a mobile home, or aboard a boat. You also should leave if you know your home is not structurally sound or if it is in an area that continually floods or is near a stream or gut likely to overflow in heavy rainfall. If you need to seek emergency shelter, wait for notification from the American Red Cross officials of shelter locations. Public shelters are set up as a temporary, emergency means of caring for people. A shelter's primary function is to provide a roof over your head. Food, blankets, and amenities may not be available. Pets, weapons, alcoholic beverages and illegal drugs are not allowed in shelters. Smoking may be banned.

If you go to a shelter, travel light. Put everything into a portable disaster kit, including:

• Non-perishable food
• Drinking water (two to four quarts per person per day)
• Valuable papers such as your driver's license or other identification, bank books, insurance policies, property inventory and photographs
• Eating and cooking utensils, can and bottle openers
• Toiletries and sanitary supplies
• Medications, prescriptions, important medical information, eyeglasses, cleaning solution for contact lenses, hearing aid, and walking aids.
• Rope
• Portable radio with extra batteries
• Flashlight with extra batteries
• Blanket and/or sleeping bag for each person
• Small valuables such as photographs

Before you leave your home:

• Unplug all electrical appliances and machines and store them as high as possible.
• Turn off electricity at all breakers plus the main switch. Label breakers to identify what the lines carry.
• Store toxic materials as high as possible in the most protected area available.
• Agree with family members on a location to meet or a means of reaching one another with messages in the event you become separated.

Take special precautions with Mobile Homes

Mobile homes are particularly vulnerable to hurricane-force winds. Do what you can to secure your home, and then take refuge with friends or relatives or at a public shelter. But before you leave, be sure to take the following suggested precautions:

• Wrap breakables, pack them in boxes and put the boxes on the floor.
• Remove and tape mirrors. Place lamps and mirrors in the bathtub or shower wrapped in blankets.
• Tape X's on the inside of windows.
• Disconnect electricity, sewer and water lines. Shut off propane tanks. Leave the tanks outside and anchor them securely.
• Store awnings, cabanas, folding furniture, trash cans, and other such outdoor objects.
• Use over-the-top and frame ties to anchor the mobile home.

Animals need help too!

• Put identification tags on the animals.
• If you plan to remain at hoe, bring pets inside with you. Have newspapers on hand for sanitary purposes.
• Shelter birds and chickens. Put larger livestock on the loose in an open filed with plenty of food and water.
• As a rule, public shelters will not take pets.
• If you are not going to stay in your home during the hurricane and can't take your pets with you, arrange to leave you pets with your veterinarian or friends, or leave them loose inside your home with dry food and plenty of water. Remove the toilet tank lid, raise the seat and brace the bathroom door open so they can drink.
• Do not leave pets outside or tied on leashes.

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A boater's guide to hurricane readiness

Planning, preparation and timely action are the keys to saving lives, preventing injury and reducing property damage to pleasure boats and live-aboard vessels in a hurricane. Each boat owner needs a plan specific tot he vessel, for where it is normally kept and for where it might be moved for protection.

Prior to Hurricane season

• See that your vessel is in sound condition. Be sure batteries are charged and all equipment is operable and secured. Absentee owners should arrange for a haulout or supervised inspection.
• Inspect primary cleats, chocks, winches, bitts, and bollards. Be sure they have substantial backplates and adequate-size stainless steel bolts.
• Acquire any needed emergency gear such as extra mooring lines, screw anchors, fenders, fender boards, chafing gear, and anchors.
• Identify hurricane holes and safe harbors in the area, assemble emergency equipment and supplies, come up with a refuge plan - and then practice it to see how much time and work are involved and what aspects are needed to be revised.
• Make sure your insurance coverage is current; read the policy thoroughly for information relative to the coverage, exclusions and your responsibilities as the vessel owner.
• Assemble your insurance policies, boat registration, a recent photograph of the vessel, gear inventory, marina or storage lease agreement and important telephone numbers - the local harbormaster, Cost Guard, National Weather Service, insurance agent - and put them in a secure place off the boat.
• Know your responsibilities and liabilities as well as those of the marina or storage facility, if you keep your boat tied up or in storage.
• Inventory items to be removed form the boat and items to leave aboard; keep copies on board and ashore. Mark valuable items for identification.

When a Hurricane Watch is issued

• Monitor marine radio weather reports continuously.
• Identify the safest reachable haven and move your boat there at least 48 hours before a hurricane is expected to strike your area.
• Have written copies of your hurricane plan aboard and with associates on shore; be sure family members and crew read and understand it.
• See that fuel tanks are full, fuel filters are clean, batteries are charged, bileges are clean, cockpit drains are clear, firefighting equipment works and lifesaving equipment is in good condition and readily accessible. Consider backup batteries. Disconnect all devises that use electricity except bilge pumps.
• Make anchoring or mooring provisions. Check the condition of existing mooring hardware and lines.
• Ensure water tightness above and below the waterline by sealing hatches, windows and doors with duct tape if necessary, shutting seacocks and capping off or plugging unvalved through-hull fittings.
• Remove all equipment on deck that you can, including roller furling sails. Lash down everything you cannot move, such as tillers, wheels and booms.
• Double all lines. The second set of lines should be a size larger than the regular ones. To prevent chafing, use double neoprene hose or wrap lines at rough points with tape, rags or other protective mater.

When a Hurricane Warning is issued

• Monitor marine radio reports continuously.
• Prepare to have all aboard leave the vessel. Boat owners unwilling to do this must weigh the desire to stay aboard carefully. Of eight confirmed deaths in Hurricane Marilyn, at least SEVEN were individuals who remained aboard boats.

After the Hurricane

• Check the condition and security of the vessel as soon as it is safe to do so.
• If it has been damaged, take immediate action to save the vessel and/or equipment and prevent further loss or damage - this is a requirement of all marine insurance. Notify your insurance agent as soon as you can.
• Pickle the engine immediately and purge the boat of marine life and saltwater.
• Report any theft or vandalism loss or damage to law-enforcement authorities promptly; obtain a copy of the incident report or at least its number.
• If salvage removal of the vessel is necessary and you must make arrangements yourself, read the salvage contract, and find out where your vessel is being taken and if security is to be provided.

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This information was brought to you by the Federal Emergency Management Agency

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