If you live on the coast, or anywhere within a few miles of the coast, you have likely experienced a hurricane or two in your lifetime.  Some hurricanes are as mild as a thunderstorm, while others are treacherous events.  Being prepared is the key to hurricane survival.  Use these ten ways to prepare for the big storm to get your home and your family ready for the next big one!

Training Your Family: When it comes to disasters like hurricanes, you can never be too prepared.  Make a plan with your family.  Devise a system with each person doing specific tasks to ready your home and your family for the hurricane.  Pick a “safe spot” for your family to meet in, in case of bad weather.  You can practice going to this spot several times a year so everyone will know exactly what to do when a hurricane hits. 

Making an Emergency Kit

Although there is not much you can do during a hurricane, you may need an emergency kit for after the storm.  You should create a box to put in your “safe spot”.  This box should include first aid items, fresh water, snacks, candles, matches, medication, and a radio with batteries.  Your power, water, and phones may be out during the storm, so you will need these items. 

Know Your Area

One part of being prepared for a hurricane involves knowing your town’s emergency routes.  There may be storms that simply should not be weathered.  In these cases, you should certainly flee the area.  If your town issues an evacuation, be sure to take it seriously.  It is much better to be safe than sorry in these cases!  Learn the evacuation routes and where emergency shelters are in your area.  Do not wait until the last minute to leave however, or you may not make it out before the storm hits.

Supplies

If you live in an area that is constantly hit with bad weather, there are certain things you should do on a regular basis.  First, you should always make sure you have an adequate supply of food and water in your home.  Making sure your medications are always up to date is also a great habit.  If you think a storm is coming, be sure to fill up buckets, sinks, and bathtubs with as much water as possible.  You may need it after the storm.  Making these things everyday habits is a great way to constantly be prepared for a hurricane.

Educate Your Family

Make sure your family knows that the international rescue signal is “SOS” and how to dial “911”.  These may seem simple to adults, but many children need to be taught how to utilize these important signals.

Take a Class

When something like a hurricane strikes, you will find that you might need to use a wide variety of skills to survive.  Taking a first aid class in CPR or other basic skills is a great way to always be prepared.

Prepare Your Structure 

If you are aware the hurricane is coming, it is always a great idea to begin preparing the outside of your home for the wind and debris.  You can board up windows and other glass portions of the home in order to get the most protection. 

Get Your Gas

When you live in an area near the water, it is always a great idea to never let your gas tank fall below half full.  This is partially because you may need to flee town quickly.  It can also be done to ensure that if your town does go under and the gas stations are inoperable, you will still have enough gasoline to get out of town.

Box of Importance 

In order to help yourself out if you do decide to flee your home before a hurricane, you should always keep a “box of importance” near.  Many people do this and call it their “fire box” as well.  This box should be somewhere very handy and contain important documents that you would want to save in case of an emergency. 

Remember Your Pets

If you are a pet owner, you may be skeptical about leaving them during a storm or a hurricane.  Remember to always think of yourself first, but if you are a pet owner, you can always pack them up in the car with you.  Many hotels along the highway will allow pets to stay as well.  It is much better to bring them along than to stay behind with them.