Hurricane Preparedness

by | Oct 7, 2016 | Hurricane Preparedness

Bad weather is no joke.  It can destroy years of hard work on your home, yard and even cause tremendous damage to your property.  Watching the weather reports is a good start to staying aware of what is coming; however, being prepared for bad weather is a step that should not be overlooked.  Hurricane Matthew is predicted to now miss Southern New England contrary to earlier weather forecasts.  As we all know, the weather has a mind of its own. If you have family, friends or both in areas still expected to be hit by the storm, please share these tips with them.  Having a plan of action is key.  Here are some tips to get your family and property ready for a visit from Matthew or any relevant storm.

I.     Outside preparations:

  • Clean your yard of any items that could become missiles in a storm such as container plants, hanging baskets, tools, lawn furniture, garden art, grills, lawn furniture, swing sets, toys, bicycles, bird feeders, wind chimes etc
  • Tighten up loose shutters, secure porch posts, light posts and clear and secure drainage pipes
  • Keep trees and shrubs neatly trimmed so wind gusts can move through the branches easily
  • Make sure outdoor structures such as children’s play houses or tool sheds are securely anchored
  • Have plywood ready to cover windows and sliding doors

II.     Have an emergency kit ready with some of the following items.  

  • Bottled water
  • Non-perishable food for 3 days
  • Canned goods & manual can opener
  • Batteries
  • Flashlights
  • First aid kit
  • Pet food
  • Whistle
  • Pliers or wrench to shut off utilities
  • Cell phone & current list of contacts

III.     Take pictures / video of your entire home in the event that you need to file a claim

  • Update your home inventory list or create one before the storm
  • Make sure your insurance policy has the proper coverage

IV.     Store your important documents where you can easily access them

Being prepared for any risk or storm is always a good idea.  For more information on what to before a storm you may visit any of the links in this article or the links below.  To check or add coverage to your existing policy, call any of our FBinsure offices.

http://mgcmtraining.mass.gov/eopss/agencies/mema/hazards/hurricanes/preparing-your-home-for-a-hurricane.html
https://www.ready.gov/kit

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