Special to the Recorder
Hurricane season is upon us once again. The time has come to remember our storm risks and prepare now.
As loud as that teenage voice in your head is repeating, “It won’t happen to me,” the reality is the chance of a storm harming our property is quite high. It doesn’t even have to be a hurricane to be devastating.
We have flash flooding all the time. And just because you aren’t in a flood zone, that doesn’t mean it will never flood there. Lightning could catch your house on fire, and all could be lost in minutes. A tornado, or even straight-line winds, can destroy homes in seconds. Hail can cause all sorts of damage.
You won’t always have 10 days’ warning to prepare for a storm. Please prepare now. Here are some tips and thoughts to take into consideration.
Think about your pets
Have you considered what to do with your pets if you would need to evacuate your home? The Clay County Humane Society has great information about what to know to keep your pets safe during the storm: http://www.clayhumane.org/disaster-preparation.php Please never leave your pets behind!
Be ready for anything
How many different scenarios can you think of that could happen in a storm around your property? Consider all the dangers and have a plan of action for each of them. It sounds silly, but it’s even better if you have your plan written down. This website is a great resource: https://www.ready.gov/hurricanes Be sure to check out the other information this website has to offer. There seems to be a preparation list for everything. I also really like Jacksonville Beach’s checklist at http://www.jacksonvillebeach.org/government/departments/fire-and-emergency-services/hurricane-preparedness/hurricane-checklists
Think about what happens after
If you know who you are going to call for each peril that could happen to your home or business, you can save your emergency plan on your phone and just dial down the list of numbers. The damage to your property will be stressful enough. Save yourself the struggle, make your list now and share it with your family.
Remember, if a hurricane hits, every business that can fix the damage is going to be in high demand. Keep in mind repairs are going to take longer. You may have to move out of your house for months. Where will you stay? There will be a lot of companies trying to take advantage of your bad situation, so make sure you are dealing with reputable vendors by making a list now while you have time to research.
Assistance after the storm
Remember that disaster relief groups exist to help after a storm. Add these contacts to your emergency list.
• The American Red Cross- https://www.redcross.org/get-help/disaster-relief-and-recovery-services.html
• Endeavors- https://www.endeavors.org/location-service/tallahassee/disaster-relief/
• Salvation Army- https://www.salvationarmyusa.org/usn/
• United Methodist Florida Conference/Disaster Recovery- https://floridarestores.com/
• TEAMeffort Missions- http://www.teameffort.org
• Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day- https://www.ldscharities.org/what-we-do/emergency-response
Think about your neighbors
Once you are prepared, who else can you help? Some of us have elderly or disabled neighbors. Ask them about their hurricane plan and if they could use any help. Others of us know people who just moved to Florida and have no idea what living through a hurricane means.
Wayne Terry is the owner of PuroClean in Jacksonville. For more information about his restoration company, visit http://purocleanofjax.com/.
