The Right Way to Hurricane Prep

PANAMA CITY, FL - If you’ve ever been through hurricane season in Florida, being ready for a storm is pretty much second nature. I’ve been here for a long time, been through lots of storms, and did some recovery work after Katrina in Mississippi, so I’m a storm prep Eagle Scout. I’m not going to bother you with lists of stuff (water, batteries, gas, etc.) because there are dozens of places to find those online. You do have a list, right? What I will tell you, though, is that good hurricane prep is done in two phases. One is annual, and the other is storm-specific.

PHASE ONE is at the beginning of hurricane season (or in years when I forget, when the first big storm hits the Weather Channel). You gather your supplies and check that they are 1) where you can find them quickly and 2) in good condition. (My advice is to get a big plastic bin for your stuff and put it in a spare closet.) This is when you check the date on the batteries, be sure the radio works, your water is still good, and replace anything you might have “borrowed” from your kit. This keeps you prepared and spares you the mad dash to Lowe’s and Publix among the panicky crowds. If you’ve got hurricane panels or wood for your windows, it’s time to cut things to size, if needed, and be sure you have all your hardware. A big one is to fill your gas tank, spare gas cans, and LP gas bottles. Be sure your generator works: crank it and let it run a bit. Now is not the time to have a generator fail you.

PHASE TWO changes are based on the storm track and strength. If it’s a “Big One,” start working three or four days out. For smaller storms, a day or two before is fine. This is when you give things a last-minute check, get copies of your essential papers (don’t forget your insurance policy), and do things like hang storm panels, deploy sandbags, move loose items inside, and make hotel reservations if you’re going to evacuate. If you can finish a day ahead, it gives you more flexibility, lowers your stress level, and lets you help those neighbors who didn’t plan ahead like you did.

Above all, say a little prayer that the prep is all for nothing and the storm passes us by.