Hurricanes

Protect Your Home and Your Family

Hurricanes are forces that can cause major destruction. These potentially ferocious weather systems can bring high winds, torrential rain, storm surges, flooding, and even tornadoes, that damage homes, destroy personal property, and disrupt life in general. Hurricane season generally begins on June 1 and lasts until November 30.

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration reports that while the number of people injured or killed during hurricanes in the U.S. has declined, the potential for loss from hurricanes has increased. The heightened risk is due to increased population and development along coastal areas, making greater numbers of people and property vulnerable to the threats that hurricanes pose. In addition, large numbers of tourists favor coastal locations, which adds to the problems emergency managers and local decision makers are forced to deal with during a hurricane threat.

Tips for Your Home

Although the great force hurricanes exert may seem hard to conquer, there are some precautions that will help you weather the storm.

If You're Building or Remodeling your existing home, the Institute for Business and Home Safety offers some helpful advice to help make your home more resistant to hurricane damage.
Windows: If you are replacing your existing windows, install impact-resistant window systems that are more wind resistant. As an alternative to new windows, install impact-resistant shutters that close over window openings to prevent flying debris from breaking windowpanes.
Doors: Make certain your entry doors have at least three hinges and a dead bolt security lock with a bolt that is at least one inch long. Door frames should also be anchored securely to wall frames. Since sliding glass doors are more vulnerable to wind damage, consider installing impact-resistant door systems made of laminated glass, plastic glazing, or a combination of plastic and glass. When there is the threat of a hurricane, you can cover the entire patio door with shutters made of plywood.
Garage doors are highly susceptible to wind damage because of their size. Doors more than eight feet wide are most vulnerable and should be reinforced with permanent wood or metal stiffeners. You can also contact the door manufacturer for recommendations about temporary center supports that you can attach when hurricanes threaten. If you are unsure whether or not your garage door can resist high winds, contact a qualified inspector for advice.
Roofs: When replacing your roof, make sure the new roof and the sheathing it attaches to are resistant to high winds. You can do this by asking your roofing contractor to remove old coverings down to the bare wood sheathing; confirm that the rafters and trusses are securely connected to the walls; replace damaged sheathing and refasten existing sheathing according to the building code for high-wind regions; and install a roof covering that is resistant to high winds.
Maintaining Your Yard: Keep trees and shrubbery trimmed and cut weak branches and trees that could fall on your house. Also, consider replacing gravel or rock landscaping material with shredded bark, which would cause less damage when blown around.

Safety Tips for You and Your Family

Taking these additional steps will help protect you and your family when a hurricane threatens.

Have a Plan: It's a good idea to prepare an evacuation plan ahead of time. Include in the plan where you will go if you are told to evacuate, a list of emergency phone numbers, and a road map. Also, choose a place for all family members to meet in case you are separated.
Safety First: Another good idea is to assemble a first-aid kit. The kit may include such necessities as bottled water, canned food and a can opener, a battery-powered radio, a flashlight, and extra batteries.
Listen to the News: For the most up-to-date instructions and warnings, listen to your radio or television news stations. If told to evacuate, do so immediately. If you are not told to evacuate, stay inside your house away from windows. Finally, keep in mind that while the "eye" of the storm is relatively calm, the worst part of the storm occurs after the eye passes because winds tend to blow from opposite directions.
Hurricane Watch vs. Hurricane Warning: The difference between a hurricane watch and a hurricane warning is this: A hurricane watch means hurricane conditions are possible in a specified area, usually within 36 hours. A hurricane warning means a hurricane is expected in a specified area within 24 hours. Since hurricanes can gain strength, change direction, and increase their speed very quickly it's important to keep listening to your radio or television news for updated information whenever a hurricane threatens.

DID YOU KNOW?

Hurricanes are named to prevent confusion when there is more than one active at a time. Since 1953, Atlantic tropical storms have been named from lists originated by the National Hurricane Center, which are now maintained and updated by an international committee of the World Meteorological Organization (WMO). The lists featured only women's names until 1979 when the WMO was persuaded to use male names and to name the storms in an alternating "girl-boy-girl-boy" pattern.

Today, names are recycled every six years. Once a hurricane has caused significant damage, its name is retired from the six-year cycle. In 2005, the following names were retired: Dennis, Katrina, Rita, Stan and Wilma.