Broward County Hurricane Preparedne Edit page

Hurricane Preparedness Information from Broward County

http://www.broward.org/Hurricane/AtoZ/Pages/HurricanePreparedBeforeEvent.aspx

BEFORE EVENT

All residents are encouraged to assemble an emergency preparedness kit to have available yea round in the event of any emergency.

Just before hurricane season begins on June 1 is a good time to check the contents of your emergency preparedness kit, freshen your supplies and review your emergency plans. 

If a storm is approaching Broward County, the National Hurricane Center may deem an area under a Hurricane Watch or a Hurricane Warning.

• Hurricane Watch – Hurricane may have landfall in the area within 48 hours
• Hurricane Warning – Hurricane is expected to strike the area within 36 hours

• The National Hurricane Center may issue Storm Surge Watch or a Storm Surge Warning. Find out more about storm surge. (See Storm Surge) 

• Drinking Water – The local water supply may be interrupted or become contaminated. Store at least one gallon per person per day for three to five days, preferably two weeks. Extra water is needed for preparing food and for personal hygiene. Store water in food-grade containers. You can also fill clean, airtight containers such as two-liter soda jugs with drinking water. If you re-use disposable plastic bottles, do not keep them for more than a month. Do not use milk containers as they are difficult to clean thoroughly and don't have an airtight seal. (See Water)
• Food – At least enough for three to five days including non-perishable packaged or canned food that needs no refrigeration and can be prepared without cooking. (See Food and Refrigerators & Freezers)
• Coolers for ice and cold food storage in case the power goes out
• Battery-Operated Radio w/ extra batteries or hand-crank radio
• Flashlight (w/ extra bulbs and batteries)
• Matches – Stored in a waterproof container
• Fire Extinguisher
• Hard-line telephone with jack (not cordless)
• Car charger for mobile phone, USB portable external mobile battery charger 
• Emergency Cooking Facilities
• A three- to five-day supply of special items for babies such as formula, food, wipes, and diapers; special foods for the elderly; toiletries and extra toilet paper.
• Extra Medicine – Contact your pharmacy and obtain a 30-day supply of medications.
• Pet food, cat litter and other pet-care items
• Manual Can Opener/Bottle Opener
• Paper goods such as plates, bowls, napkins, towels, and plastic eating utensils
• First Aid Kit and Manual
• Bleach (for purifying water)
• Shutters, Lumber
• Emergency Repair Materials and Tools – Keep receipts as these expenditures may be covered by insurance. Items to include are cord and rope, hammer and wood nails, saw, hatchet or axe, crowbar, chain saw blades, tarp, duct tape and heavy work gloves
• Plastic trash bags and ties
• Extra re-sealable plastic storage bags, heavy-duty aluminum foil and disposable aluminum pans
• Extra charcoal or propone gas for outdoor cooking. Sterno can also be used. Never cook with any of these inside your house—the smoke and fumes are deadly.
• Fire extinguisher (ABC type)
• Mosquito repellent with DEET
• Sunscreen
• Toys, books and games to keep children and adults entertained during and after the storm
• Full Tank of Gasoline – Gas pumps do not work without electricity
• Cash and Credit Cards
• Sturdy Shoes
• Special Medical Equipment and Supplies (e.g. extra oxygen, hearing aid batteries, etc.)

• Monitor local radio and television stations for up-to-date information on the status of the storm.
• Organize a place to meet with your family should you become separated after the storm.
• Determine the location of the nearest General Population shelter in the event you have to evacuate (See Shelters)
• Keep appliances plugged in until power fails, then turn off and unplug appliances (See Refrigerators & Freezers)
• Prepare your property, including your boat (See Boat), your swimming pool (See Swimming Pool), your airplane, and your automobile (See Automobiles & Trucks).
• Make arrangements for shelter and safety of pets (See Animals).
• Persons requiring special medical assistance – such as oxygen tanks or kidney dialysis – should make arrangements for care in the event of an extended power outage.
• Pregnant women who are two weeks from due date or considered high-risk should consult their physician. Recommended Activities

• If you reside in a mobile home, check tie-downs and evacuate immediately.
• Continue to monitor local radio or television stations for up-to-date information on the status of the storm.
• Discount rumors and use the telephone sparingly.
• Prepare for high winds: brace garage doors, lower antennas and prepare for making repairs.
• Store tree or bush trimmings indoors, away from wind.
• Anchor loose outdoor objects securely or bring indoors (garbage cans, awnings, garden tools, toys, etc.)
• Protect doors and windows (See Windows).
• Protect valuables and personal papers from the storm – put in waterproof containers and store in the least vulnerable location.
• Prepare for tornadoes (See Tornadoes) or floods (See Flooding).
• Re-check supplies.
• Evacuate early if located in an evacuation zone or in a mobile home. Travel no further than necessary as roads may be jammed. Take “survival” supplies (first aid kit, drinking water, canned or dried foods, manual can opener, utensils, extra medication, etc.)
• Keep important papers with you at all times, including driver's license and other identification, insurance policies, property inventory, medic-alert or device to convey special medical information, etc. Important papers should be housed in a waterproof container.
• Residents are urged to report to Broward County any hurricane damage to their home as soon as it is safe to go outside. Before the storm click on "Home Damage Assessment Program." To participate in the program, print the Home Damage Assessment Photos and keep them handy for reference after the storm.

DURING EVENT

 Top Tips

• Be calm! Your ability to act logically, if necessary, is very important.
• Stay indoors in a secure location. The strongest part of a house is usually away from windows and exterior doors. In a one-story home, the strongest room is often a bathroom or walk-in closet near the center of the home. In a two-story home, the strongest wall is often near the stairwell on the first floor. A closet or cubicle nearby may be the safest spot.
• If your house shows signs of breaking up, stay under a table or sturdy object.
• Keep window curtains and blinds closed. (See windows) 
• Place towels along window sills and the bottom of doors leading outside to keep water from coming in. Have buckets, mops and sponges handy in the event of flooding.
• Elevate valuables to table tops or high places if flooding occurs.
• Stay indoors as the calm eye of the hurricane passes over, unless repairs are absolutely necessary.
• Leave main breaker on unless electricity goes off. If electricity goes off, turn off air conditions, refrigerators, freezers and television sets. If power returns and is steady, equipment may be turned back on. (See Utilities)
• Use flashlights for lighting when electricity goes off. A burning candle or cooking flame paired with a gust of wind through a door or window could start an accidental fire, and the fire department may not be able to respond during the storm.
• Use the telephone or cell phone for emergency calls only. Jammed phone lines may obstruct emergency calls for police, fire rescue, emergency medical and Red Cross disaster units. Use your cell phone to text family members or friends.
• Continue to conserve refrigeration. Open refrigerator and freezer doors as little as possible.
• Pull out fuse plugs at the fuse box inside the building or turn off switches at the circuit breaker box before flood water enters the building. When touching anything within an electrical panel, ensure that you are standing on a dry, insulated surface, have rubber soles and heels on your shoes and are not touching a ground with any part of the body. These precautions will reduce the chance of electrocution.
• Stay away from the fuse box, main breaker or electrical outlets in the event of flooding. Normally, the electrical current in the structure will fail with flooding.
• Remain indoors until the official “All Clear” is given by Broward County Emergency Management. If in doubt, call the Broward County Hotline at 311 or 954-831-4000.

 AFTER EVENT

• Beware of outdoor hazards – such as loose and dangling power lines. Report them immediately to the proper agency. (See Utilities)
• Do not go outside until the radio or TV announces that the dangerous winds are definitely out of your area.
• Do not go outside barefooted. Avoid wearing open shoes and watch for sharp debris.
• Walk or drive cautiously. Debris-filled streets are dangerous. Snakes and poisonous insects will be a hazard. Washouts may weaken road and bridge structures which could collapse under vehicle weight.
• Keep a battery-operated radio with you so you can listen for emergency updates and news reports.
• Use a battery-powered flash light to inspect a damaged home. Note: The flashlight should be turned on outside before entering - the battery may produce a spark that could ignite leaking gas, if present.
• If you smell gas or hear a hissing or blowing sound, open a window and leave immediately. Turn off the main gas valve from the outside, if you can. Call the gas company from a neighbor's residence. If you shut off the gas supply at the main valve, you will need a professional to turn it back on. Do not smoke or use oil, gas lanterns, candles or torches for lighting inside a damaged home until you are sure there is no leaking gas or other flammable materials present.
• Check the electrical system unless you are wet, standing in water or unsure of your safety. If possible, turn off the electricity at the main fuse box or circuit breaker. If the situation is unsafe, leave the building and call for help. Do not turn on the lights until you are sure they're safe to use. You may have to have an electrician inspect your wiring.
• Know what to do if you are returning to a flooded home (See Flooding).
• Guard against spoiled food (See Food and Refrigerators & Freezers). Use perishable food first, then non-perishable foods and staples after.
• If pipes are damaged, turn off the main water valve. Check wsith local authorities before using any water; the water could be contaminated. Pump out wells and have the water tested by authorities before drinking. Do not flush toilets until you know that sewage lines are intact.
• Do not use water until you know it is safe.
• Take extra precautions to prevent fires. Lowered water pressure in city mains and the interruption of other services may make firefighting difficult after a hurricane.
• Protect property from further damage. Plastic sheeting, plywood, lumber or any other material can be used to seal or protect property if it has been exposed by the storm. Make temporary repairs as necessary. Insurance companies will almost always pay for these and similar expenses. (save receipts)
• Notify insurance representatives of any losses
• Take photographs or a video of the damaged area to substantiate your claim.
• Survey the damage to your home and compare it to the pictures printed from the Broward County Home Damage Assessment Program that best represents the condition of you home for damage level and/or flood level. Call the Broward County Hurricane Hotline at 3-1-1 or 954-831-4000 to phone in a damage assessment report. If you still have power and access to the Internet, return to the Damage Assessment Program page and click on "Report Your Damage."
• Prepare a detailed inventory of damaged or destroyed property for the adjustor. Include a description of the item, date of purchase, cost at time of purchase, estimated replacement cost.
• If you must leave the building, make sure it is secured and protected from further damage. Leave a note in a conspicuous place advising where you can be reached.
• Be patient. Hardship cases will be settled first by insurance representatives. Do not assume your settlement will be the same as your neighbors. In a major catastrophe, the insurance industry will have emergency offices and extra manpower to expedite claim settlements and to speed recovery.