Hurricane Survival: Before, During, and After

Stock non-perishable food, potable water (1 gallon per person per day for 2 weeks), first aid supplies, medications, battery-powered radio, flashlights, and batteries. Fill bathtubs and containers with water for washing. Trim tree branches near your home. Know your evacuation route and shelter locations.

Do not wait for a hurricane warning—prepare 2-3 months in advance.

Use plywood, storm shutters, or tape to cover windows and glass doors. Remove outdoor furniture, grills, and loose items—they become projectiles. Secure loose roof materials. Fill your vehicle's fuel tank. Close interior doors to compartmentalize wind pressure. Move to interior rooms away from windows.

Boarding windows takes time—start 24 hours before the hurricane arrives.

Stay in a small interior room on the lowest floor (bathroom, closet, or interior hallway). Avoid rooms with windows. If in a mobile home, evacuate to a sturdy building or shelter—mobile homes cannot withstand hurricane winds. Bring your emergency kit, important documents, and pets into your safe room.

Do not leave your safe room to look outside or assess damage until winds and rain have completely stopped.

Tornadoes often form on the right edge of a hurricane's eyewall. Listen to weather alerts on your battery radio. If a tornado warning sounds, crouch low in your safe room, face away from windows, and cover your head. A sudden increase in wind or a loud roar may signal a tornado.

Exit your shelter only after winds and rain have stopped completely. Walk around your home carefully. Look for roof damage, loose debris, or structural cracks. Do not enter rooms with visible damage or water pooling. Document damage with photos for insurance. Do not use elevators if power is out.

Damaged buildings can collapse—do not stay in a home with major structural damage.

Stay at least 30 feet away from any downed power line. Assume all downed lines are energized. Do not touch standing water—it may be electrically charged from downed lines or contaminated. Use bottled water for drinking and cooking. Boil collected rainwater before consuming. Throw away food that contacted floodwater or lost refrigeration.

Electrocution and waterborne illness are major post-hurricane killers.

If tap water is unsafe, use bottled water or boil water for 1 minute (at rolling boil). Collect rainwater in clean containers and boil it. Replace batteries in water purification devices monthly. Ration non-perishable food—do not share with contaminated water sources. Wash hands with boiled water or hand sanitizer.