Surviving any type of hurricane depends on one VERY IMPORTANT fact. You MUST know what category the hurricane is going to be.
While you could huddle at home and weather a category 1 or category 2 hurricane, if it’s a category 3 or 4 or 5, your best option is to evacuate and get as far away from the hurricane’s path as you can.
Let’s look at the wind speed of the different hurricanes.
- Category 1: 74-95 mph
- Category 2: 96-110 mph
- Category 3: 111-130 mph
- Category 4: 131-155 mph
- Category 5: 156 mph and higher
The amount of damage a hurricane can inflict rises exponentially with each category – from minimal damage all the way up to catastrophic damage at a category 5 level.
Your best plan of action is to first listen to weather broadcasts and see what the experts are predicting. If they’re asking you to evacuate, listen to them and evacuate.
Speed is crucial. Usually, during times of crisis, roads often get blocked because everyone is trying to get away at the same time. Being ahead of everyone else will get you to your destination much quicker and without hold ups.
This is one reason why you must have bug out bags that are ready to go. A prepper’s mindset is very different for a normal person. You always need to be alert and ready with a plan to evacuate if things get dangerous.
That means always having enough fuel for your car to make a quick getaway. It means knowing exactly how to turn off your electricity, gas mains, propane tanks, etc. without fumbling.
You’ll need to follow storm warning and weather reports. You’d have a good idea of what’s the best route to follow during an evacuation. Usually, you’ll be so well-informed that you’d be ahead of everyone else.
If it’s a category 1 or category 2 hurricane, you could stay at home and wait for the hurricane to pass you by.
It goes without saying that the best way to survive is to be prepared well beforehand. Ideally, if you live in an area prone to hurricanes, you should install shutters for all your windows.
Reinforcing your roof is one of the best things you could do. A hurricane could easily rip off a poorly secured roof and leave everyone in the house exposed.
Turn off your gas supply. The hurricane might snap a gas line.
Move all patio furniture into your house or the garage if possible. These objects will become flying projectiles during a hurricane. The same applies to flower pots, toys, garden gnomes, etc. If it can be tossed, it’s best you shelter it.
Keep away from the windows. There are 2 schools of thought here – some people believe that taping windows will prevent the glass from shattering all over the house. Others believe that taping doesn’t help, and the glass pieces that fly are just bigger now.
The best way to approach this is to use window shutters as previously mentioned and avoid being near the windows as much as you can.
Always have a first aid kit in the house. You should have basic first aid knowledge.
If you’ve been storing food and water supplies, that is excellent. If not, you’ll need to take immediate steps to store as much water as you can.
Hurricanes can cause storm surges and inland flooding. This will contaminate the water supply and you’ll be short of drinking water. Keeping a water filtration device such as a LifeStraw for every family member will help.
You should also have water purification tablets, etc. During a hurricane, the power could go out and boiling water may not be an option.
Adhere to these tips and always remember that proper prevention will give you the edge when it comes to surviving these weather catastrophes.