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Before the Storm

Prepare a household inventory
Update homeowners insurance before the storm
Keep important papers safe
Develop a family communications plan
Plan an evacuation route
Create a disaster supply kit
Protect your windows
Evacuating by car


Prepare a household inventory

Before any hurricane season, every homeowner should get out their household inventory and make sure that it is up to date. If you have never created a household inventory, you need to do so immediately.

A household inventory is one of the most important documents that a homeowner will ever have. It lists all of the items contained in a house and their net worth. When homeowners are faced with replacing home items, this list serves as a starting point. It can also pinpoint whether the homeowner needs to increase insurance coverage.

Most household inventories contain specific information on the household object including model number, brand name, dealer’s name, and a general description of the item and condition.

A household inventory comes in many forms. Some of the most common are hand-written paper documents filled in with pencil or pen, or a spreadsheet saved on the computer. More and more people are catching on to what can be done with computer technology and are creating audio and video files for their inventory. Other homeowners are recording all of their possessions in photographs.

No matter which medium is chosen for the household inventory, the best way to go about compiling it is to just start. Be sure to update this inventory each year and as items are removed or added.

Forms to record this information can be obtained from your county Extension office or insurance agent. To view a sample form, click here.

 

Update homeowners insurance before the storm

If there is one thing that Hurricane Ivan taught residents across the Florida Panhandle, it is to update their insurance policies before the hurricane season hits. Take out your insurance policies and review them to make sure that coverage is adequate, easy to understand and up to date.

Take the following tips into consideration as you review your policy:

Purchase insurance now: Insurance companies will not allow individuals to apply for insurance or increase their coverage once a hurricane nears the area.

  • Know what your insurance covers: Flood and wind damage are often covered in separate policies.
  • Check into flood/wind insurance: Call your insurance agent and find out what it would cost to add flood or wind insurance. Residents living close to the beach are more prone to flooding; however, excess amounts of rain have been known to flood Crestview and other areas outside of the coastal line.
  • Make sure you have adequate insurance: If your current insurance does not cover certain storm damages, increase your coverage before the storm hits.
  • Know the name of your insurers: Keep several copies of your insurance information in case a storm takes out your house. Have your insurance company, agent’s name, contact information and policy number.
  • Safeguard your records: Store important insurance papers and other documents in a safe place, such as a safe-deposit box. Read the next section for more detail on storing important papers
  • Secure your home: Take necessary steps as a homeowner to protect you windows, roof, garage and doors

 

Keep important papers safe

In the aftermath of a hurricane, important papers become key to rebuilding. Without documents that support your home, family and automobile, you could waste valuable time and money backtracking items that could have been saved.

Make copies of all of the important papers that could help restart your life and store them in several locations. Keep originals in a safe deposit box, but store copies of the originals with a family member located in a different state. Also make a mobile copy that is put in an easy-to-remember place; take this copy with you when you are asked to evacuate.

  • Important papers include:
  • Social Security cards
  • Birth certificates
  • Citizenship papers
  • Marriage certificates
  • Adoption papers
  • Divorce decrees
  • Wills
  • Death certificates
  • Deeds
  • Titles to automobiles
  • Household inventory
  • Veteran's papers
  • Bonds and stock certificates
  • Important contracts
  • Tax receipts
  • Income tax working papers
  • Employment records
  • Health benefit information
  • Credit card information
  • Insurance policies
  • Family health records
  • Pet records
  • Receipts of items under warranty
  • Education certificates
  • Loan statements and payment books
  • Record of bank and credit card account numbers
  • Passports
  • Will
  • Immunization records

 

Develop a family communications plan

Every family needs a family communications plan. This is a plan that lets each member of the family know what to do when a hurricane is scheduled to hit your neighborhood. It should be created well in advance of the hurricane season in order to allow each member of the family time to prepare.

A family communications plan should include important contact numbers and information on each member of the family. Some of the information that should be contained in the family plan is as follows:

  • Out-of-state contact’s name, phone number and e-mail address
  • Each member of the family’s medical information and social security number
  • Possible locations for each member of the family – home, school, work, other places you frequent, etc.
  • Medical information and contacts
  • Homeowners/rental insurance and contacts
  • Veterinarian and kennel contacts for pets

To view an example Family Communications Plan, click here. 

Each member of the family should also know how and when to turn off gas, electricity, and water. Children should know when and how to call 9-1-1, police, or fire department and which radio stations to tune to for emergency information.

 

Plan an evacuation route

Never wait until a hurricane is scheduled to hit your neighborhood to start planning an evacuation route, especially if you have pets. It is suggested that you plan for evacuation well in advance of the hurricane season. Decide whether you will stay with friends and relatives in an inland area of the county or in another bordering state. If you plan to stay in a hotel, remember that they fill up fast; call and make reservations as soon as you are asked to evacuate. In a worst case scenario, there are always emergency shelters located throughout the Emerald Coast.

For a list of open/closed shelters throughout the state of Florida, click here.

For the 2004 Statewide Emergency Shelter Plan, click here. This report is published every two years by the Department of Community Affairs.

 

Create a disaster supply Kit

Although a more detailed list of items that you should keep on hand is available on the Disaster Supply Kit page, here is a list of some of the most common items found in a disaster supply kit.

  • Flashlight and extra batteries
  • Portable, battery-operated radio and extra batteries
  • First aid kit and manual
  • Non-perishable food and bottled water
  • Mechanical can opener
  • Essential medicines
  • Cash and credit cards
  • Sturdy shoes
  • Spare tire
  • Car jack
  • Booster cables
  • Basic toolkit
  • Shovel for digging out if your car gets stuck
  • Emergency flares
  • Rain gear/umbrella
  • Extra clothes
  • Blanket
  • Maps
  • Any pet supplies, pet food and medications.
  • Bug spray
  • Cell phone and charger
  • Camera (to take pictures of damage)
  • Plastic garbage bags
  • Tarp (to protect damaged property)

 

Protect your home

Hurricanes have been known to cause severe damage to homes in their paths. Although there is no way to prevent all damage from occurring, some damage can be prevented by following a few precautionary measures.

Before the storm:

  • Think about purchasing flood and wind insurance
  • Put up permanent hurricane shutters on windows and doors
  • Protect the outside of windows with shutters or plywood
  • Clear loose and clogged rain gutters and downspouts
  • Trim back dead or weak branches from trees
  • Bring in lawn furniture or other lawn items
  • Find a place to move a boat or other water toy
  • Turn the refrigerator and freezer to the coldest settings to make food last longer in a power outage
  • Make sure that you have a phone that does not require power to operate (no cordless phones)
  • Move furniture or other valuables to a higher floor in the home to prevent flooding


Evacuating by Car

If you have decided to evacuate for an upcoming hurricane, you will need to prepare well in advance of the storm and leave as soon as the evacuation order is given. This is critical, because you do not want to be stuck in traffic when the storm hits. You must stay where you are when the storm hits and be prepared to stay there during the duration and aftermath.

Follow these guidelines when preparing to evacuate by car:

  • Create a disaster supply kit to store in the car (see above for essential items to include)
  • Keep copies of your auto registration, title and insurance papers in your car, and store the originals in a safe, dry place
  • Fill your car's gas tank so you are able to drive a long distance without needing to stop
  • Know the best route to take to arrive safely to your evacuation site

Follow these guidelines when driving in a storm:

  • Go to your destination immediately. Don't drive around to look at damage.
  • Avoid driving through standing water. If water is deeper than 10 inches, leave your vehicle and head for high ground.
  • Be aware of your surroundings. Roads, bridges and water banks may be weak and could collapse.
  • Steer clear of low-hanging wires and anything touching them.
  • Treat intersections without working traffic lights as four-way stops.
  • Safeguard the vehicles you're not using:
  • Store your car in a garage or carport to avoid falling trees and flying debris.
  • If you have to leave your car outside, move it to high ground and out of the path of possible falling trees or structures.
  • Move grills, patio furniture, trashcans, potted plants, toys, bikes and other loose objects into your house or garage. Tie down anything that you can't move indoors.

When the hurricane hits, stay out of your car and go to a safe place. You should already be at your designated evacuation place. Be prepared to stay there for even a few weeks, depending on the severity of the storm.

Follow these guidelines for traveling by car immediately after a storm:

  • Take pictures of any damage.
  • If your engine was under water, don't start the vehicle. Try to physically remove the water to begin drying it out.
  • Cover your vehicle to prevent further damage until proper repairs can be made. Save all receipts for towing and repairs, so that you can be reimbursed for your out-of-pocket expenses.

 

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