Essential Tips for Hurricane Season 2024

April 24, 2024

Do you know what to do before and after a hurricane?

Here are some essential tips what to do before and after a hurricane, including a checklist for both occurrences. You also need to make sure your boat is secure. Check out Seabrook Marina Hurricane tips and hurricane preparedness for your boat.

We urge you to plan for this upcoming hurricane season. You should also be reminded that all official emergency information will be broadcast on the Official Emergency Broadcast Station, which is KTRH 740 AM.

1. ENTER EACH HURRICANE SEASON PREPARED. Every June through November, recheck your supply of boards, tools, batteries, nonperishable foods, and the other equipment you will need if a hurricane strikes your town.

2. WHEN YOU HEAR THE FIRST TROPICAL CYCLONE ADVISORY, listen for future messages. This will prepare you for a hurricane emergency well in advance of the issuance of watches and warnings.

3. WHEN YOUR AREA IS COVERED BY A HURRICANE WATCH, continue normal activities, staying tuned to radio or television for all National Weather Service advisories. Remember, a hurricane watch means possible danger within 24 hours; if the danger materializes, a hurricane warning will be issued.

MEANWHILE, KEEP ALERT. IGNORE RUMORS.

4. WHEN YOUR AREA RECEIVES A HURRICANE WARNING, PLAN YOUR TIME before the storm arrives and avoid the last-minute hurry which leaves you marooned or unprepared.

KEEP CALM until the emergency has ended.
LEAVE LOW-LYING AREAS that may be swept by high tides or storm waves.
LEAVE MOBILE HOMES for more substantial shelter. They are particularly vulnerable to damage during strong winds. Damage can be minimized by securing mobile homes with heavy cables anchored in concrete footing.
MOOR YOUR BOAT SECURELY before the storm arrives, or evacuate it to a designated safe area. When your boat is moored, leave it, and don't return once the wind and waves are up.
BOARD UP WINDOWS or protect them with storm shutters. Danger to small windows is mainly from wind-driven debris. Larger windows may be broken by wind pressure.
SECURE OUTDOOR OBJECTS that might be blown away or uprooted. Garbage cans, garden tools, toys, signs, porch furniture, and a number of other harmless items become missiles of destruction in hurricane winds. Anchor them or store them inside before the storm strikes.
STORE DRINKING WATER in clean bathtubs, jugs, bottles, and cooking utensils. YOUR TOWN'S WATER SUPPLY MAY BE CONTAMINATED BY FLOODING OR DAMAGED BY HURRICANE FLOODS.
CHECK YOUR BATTERY-POWERED EQUIPMENT. Your radio may be your only link with the world outside the hurricane, and emergency cooking facilities, lights, and flashlights will be essential if utilities are interrupted.
KEEP YOUR CAR FUELED. Service stations may be inoperable for several days after the storm strikes, due to flooding or interrupted electrical power.
STAY AT HOME, if your home is sturdy and on high ground; if it is not, move to a designated shelter and stay there until the storm is over.
REMAIN INDOORS DURING THE HURRICANE. Travel is extremely dangerous when winds and tides are whipping through your area.
MONITOR THE STORM'S POSITION through National Weather Service advisories.
BEWARE OF THE EYE OF THE HURRICANE. If the calm storm center passes directly overhead, there will be a lull in the wind lasting from a few minutes to half an hour or more. Stay in a safe place UNLESS emergency repairs are absolutely necessary. But remember, at the OTHER SIDE OF THE EYE, the winds rise very rapidly to hurricane force, and come from the opposite direction.

5. WHEN THE HURRICANE HAS PASSED, continue to take precautions.

SEEK NECESSARY MEDICAL CARE AT RED CROSS disaster stations or hospitals.
STAY OUT OF DISASTER AREAS. Unless you are qualified to help, your presence might hamper first-aid and rescue work.
DRIVE CAREFULLY along debris-filled streets. Roads may be undermined and may collapse under the weight of a car. Slides along cliffs are also a hazard.
AVOID LOOSE OR DANGLING WIRES, and report them immediately to your power company or the nearest law enforcement officer.
REPORT BROKEN SEWER OR WATER MAINS to the water department.
PREVENT FIRES. Lower water pressure may make fire fighting difficult.
CHECK REFRIGERATED FOOD for spoilage if power has been off during the storm.
REMEMBER THAT HURRICANES MOVING INLAND CAN CAUSE SEVERE FLOODING. STAY AWAY FROM RIVER BANKS AND STREAMS.

NOTE: This information is not intended to be used to make life or death decisions. As you know, if you have studied past hurricanes, they seldom maintain constant course and speed. Please don't use this program to predict a storm's path. Instead, please follow the advice of your local authorities. It's always better to be safe than sorry. The Seabrook Marina wants to keep you around as a customer for a long time!

USEFUL LINKS

NOAA Weather Radio

University of Florida IFAS publication "Hurricane Preparedness for Boat Owners" (PDF)

A Boater's Guide to Preparing Boats and Marinas for Hurricanes by BoatUS (PDF)

5 Tips For Storm Coverage For Your Boat

Download your own list - '5 Essential Hurricane Tips'

Takeaway: “Be prepared”
Boy Scouts of America Motto