We’re officially in Hurricane Season now and if you aren’t ready, I suggest you get ready – especially if you live in an area that is likely to be hit!

I know some people make a game out of waiting until the eye of the storm is practically on top of them, but if you try and do that you’ll be waiting in 3 hour long lines hoping you can buy the last generator or case of water – I don’t suggest it! Been there done that!

And if you’re planning on others saving you – you might want to think again!

I made ALL the newbie mistakes when we experienced our 1st Hurricane nearly 6 years ago! Since then I got my act together, learned how to prepare for a Hurricane, and implemented these 7 things!

Hopefully, you’ll learn from my mistakes – so you can be ready for whatever storm may try and rip through your backyard.

HOW TO PREPARE FOR A HURRICANE
7 Things You Should Do BEFORE One Hits:

1- Stay Informed

First off – know what’s going on! It’s embarrassing to admit that 6 years ago I had no clue a hurricane was even about to hit us until I saw all my neighbors boarding up their windows. So get yourself out of the sand and at least be somewhat aware – before it smacks you in the face ;)

Know When to Evacuate

Make sure you know if your community has an evacuation plan or signals to warn you about possible threats.

Here’s some good advice – If you are told to evacuate and decide not to do it, acknowledge your responsibility for your decision, and do not expect to be rescued later!

Have a Back-Up Plan

Some things you need to consider if you need to evacuate is:

• Where will you go?
• Do you know where the nearest shelter is?
• What will you take?
• Do you have a gathering place or way to contact family members if you get separated?
• Does everyone in your family know your emergency plan?

Download Some Survival Apps

You may not have cell service after a Hurricane hits, but there are lot of apps that can help keep you informed about what’s going on and get you ready.

There are also some great apps that will help you plan ahead, navigate your surroundings, find where to get help, be able to respond to an emergency, and most importantly – stay connected to loved ones!

Make a Contact List

Because of smart phones, rarely do people memorize important numbers anymore. My brother was stuck at the airport for hours because he didn’t know how to call family without his cell phone.

So go ahead and make sure you have a list that is on PAPER of important contact numbers and information – even better if you can put it in sheet protectors and Ziploc bags to keep it safe. Once a year I try and update the contact information so it stays current.

Some good contact information to have for reference:

• Local Emergency Management Office
• County Law Enforcement
• County Public Safety Fire/Rescue
• State, County and City/Town Government
• Local Hospitals
• Local Utilities
• Local American Red Cross
• Local TV Stations
• Local Radio Stations
• Your Property Insurance Agent

Have a CORDED Phone

I know these are totally out of style, but you’re going to be envious of anyone that has one after the power goes out!

Often times even though there isn’t any power, you can still call with a corded phone using a landline. So just spend the $10 and throw one into your emergency kit!!!

2- Make a Hurricane Preparedness Checklist

No matter how small your town is, most likely it is entirely dependent on outside sources for everything!

If supply trucks stop rolling in due to road damage, gas shortages or anything else you might have to go without important items for a long time. So the best time to get things is NOW!

I recommend going ahead and making a Hurricane Preparedness Checklist of things to buy and do so you don’t forget anything during the mad rush to the stores before a Hurricane!

My Hurricane Preparedness Checklist:

• EMERGENCY KITS – Have a 72 Hour Kit or an emergency bag that you can grab if you need to get out quickly!
• WATER – At least 14 gallons per person.
  • You can also fill-up Bathtubs or use Waterbobs.
  • Don’t forget your Water Heater has about 50-60 gallons of drinkable water too!
  • Have Water Filters & Purifiers on Hand
• 2 WEEKS WORTH OF FOOD – Meal plan and purchase enough food to last you at least 2 weeks!
• 2 WEEK WORTH OF SUPPLIES:
  • Toilet Paper
  • Feminine Hygiene Products
  • Paper Products
  • Matches
  • Batteries – Have in varying sizes depending on what you need around your home.
  • Clothes – So you don’t have to wash ;)
  • Prescription Drugs – If you need them.
• POWERLESS COOKING – Have 2-3 ways to cook your food.
• SOLAR CHARGES – to help power phones and other small gadgets.
• GENERATOR – If you already have a generator, make sure it is in working order before hurricane season. There is nothing worse than finding out that your generator needs repairs after you need to use it! – Speaking from experience!
• FUEL – You’ll need fuel to run your generator, cook your food, and some extra for the car.
  • Propane
  • Gas – Fill-up all the cars & have some extra for the generator. Fuel is usually scarce after a hurricane, and many stations even limit the amount of gas you can purchase after waiting in line. Having multiple cans will allow you to stock up.
  • Fuel Stabilizer – Once the power is restored mix this with your gas so that your gas will keep until you are able to use it.
  • Charcoal
  • Firewood   
  • Fire Starter – Matches, Kindling, Paper, etc.
• FIRE EXTINGUISER – Buy a fire extinguisher and make sure your family knows where to find it and how to use it.
• EXTENSION CORDS – You might need these when hooking up to a generator. They also come in handy when the houses across from you have power and you don’t. If they’re nice they’ll share ;)
• BOARDS & CLIPS FOR WINDOWS – Have your boards already cut, labeled, and ready to put on your windows!
• CORDED PHONE – As I mentioned above,  you’ll want a corded phone to contact family and others if the power goes out and the cell towers go down.
• CASH – Credit Cards don’t do you any good when the power is out! Have some cash available!
• FIRST AID KIT – Have a 1st aid kit and some basic knowledge of how to use it.
• TREES – Cut down the ones that might fall on your home (or on others)!
• CHAINSAW – If you have a chainsaw and know how to use it, you immediately become the neighborhood hero after a hurricane!
• FLASHLIGHTS – Make sure everyone has their own!
• RADIO – This will be useful to stay updated and informed about what is happening.
• SAFE ROOM – Figure out a safe room in your home you can use, or make one safe!
• GUNS & AMMO – This just helps with any language barriers people might have when trying to loot your home.
• FANS – Battery-powered fans will be very appreciated if the power is out!
• FLOOD INSURANCE – Check if you’re in a flood zone, but even if you’re not you might need some – you never know.
• MAP (other than the one on your phone) – Learn community hurricane evacuation routes and how to find higher ground. Determine where you would go and how you would get there if you needed to evacuate.

Is there anything you think I should add to my Hurricane Preparedness Checklist? Let me know!

3- Pre-Cut Boards for Windows

We went ahead and cut boards to match all our windows, so anytime there is a hurricane headed our way all we have to do is pull them out and clip them into place.

As you can tell, we NEVER want to wait in a 3 hour Home Depot line ever again just to get particle board that warps after one use.

What you Need:

• 5/8” Marine Plywood
• Window Clips – You need 4 clips per window.

To Make:

• Measure windows and cut about 3/4 of an inch off of the width of the board. You need to have a little bit of room so the clips will be able to fit into place.
• You might want to cut about 1/2 inch off the height too, so you’re not forcing the board to fit into place.

This method works if you have brick surrounding your window – and just so you know it will scratch the brick some.

For windows with hardiplank surrounding them, you most likely will need to screw your boards into it.

***Remember to mark which windows they go to, or else you’ll have fun playing the –  guess where the board goes game (as you can tell we’ve played it a few times)!

 4- Have a Back-Up Power Source

Do you realize how many of the items you use on a daily basis run on electricity?

If not, you’ll get a rude awakening once the power goes out! I realized really quick during the Hurricane that practically everything I use is completely useless without electricity!

Power is usually the first thing to go in any situation, so having an alternate power source can make life after a disaster a little more bearable.  A popular option is a generator, but remember you need gas to keep it going and they are extremely noisy.

As big as the generator is I thought if would power my whole house, but I was way off! You really need to figure out before-hand what are the most important thing you want to keep running and get a generator powerful enough to run them. There are lots of options, so find one that works for you!

We used our generator primarily to run the refrigerator and freezer for a few hours each day to keep the food fresh until the power came back on.

I will say that one nice thing about the power going out is – I didn’t receive any telemarketer calls & I actually went to bed on time ;)

5- Have at Least 2 Weeks Worth of Food & Know How to Preserve It

Have a 2 Week Supply of Food

FEMA recommends that every household have at least a 2 week supply of food and water, but yet the average American only has 3 days! Depending on the disaster, sometimes help can take a week or more to arrive! When you’re hungry, cold, and tired – EACH DAY makes a difference (especially when you have whiny kids who don’t understand).

If you need help getting a 2 week supply of food, start with the basics or check-out the 5 steps I used to get mine.

Know How to Preserve Your Food

It was awful to see how much food was thrown out the days after the Hurricane! Anything that was in the freezer was discarded and most of my neighbors were out of food only a couple days after.

It doesn’t need to be that way! You can preserve nearly anything, as long as you learn the techniques and have the equipment available. My freezer is packed with everything imaginable, and I would probably have a panic attack if I had to throw it all out. That is one of the main reasons I’ve learned how to can and preserve food – so if my freezer ever stopped working for more than a few days, I could preserve my food and hopefully not add it to the dump!

Ways to Preserve Your Food:

• Can Chicken
• Can Beef
• Use Buckets
• Wax Cheese
• Vacuum-Seal Chocolate, Chips, & Nuts
• Preserve Eggs with Mineral Oil

***One tip is to turn your refrigerator and freezer to the coldest setting so that food will last longer should the power go out. Keep the doors closed as much as possible to keep everything cold.

6- Know How to Cook Food Without Electricity!

The main issue I ran into when the power went out is I had NO way of cooking any food. Even though I had enough food to last us a few weeks, dried pasta is just not that appealing!

I’ve since learned about some powerless cooking options and have experimented with them so the next time I’m without power I’ll be eating pizza and cookies :) Below are some of my favorite options I’ve tried, but find 2  or 3 that work for you!

POWERLESS COOKING OPTIONS:

• ROCKET STOVE – A stove that only requires a couple sticks to cook a meal.
• APPLE-BOX OVEN– An oven made out of a box, uses charcoal to cook.
• VOLCANO – Very versatile, it can be used as an oven, stove, or grill.
• WONDER BOX – This works like a crock-pot, but without any power.
• SUN OVEN – Needs only the Sun to cook your food.
• HERC OVEN – You can use this one indoors, and it only requires a few tea light candles.

7- Remember to Relax & Have Fun!

It’s so much easier to relax when you’re prepared! You might actually enjoy the time you get to spend with your family, and the opportunity to connect with your neighbors!

I will admit – you might have withdrawals from Facebook and the Internet if the power goes out, but try playing some fun family games instead! These 8 games are some of our favorite, and the best part is they don’t require batteries, electricity, or power – all you need is anyone who is ready to laugh and have a good time!

Help the kids get ready too by letting them become a Disaster Master, or reading them age-appropriate books about being prepared!

Kids need to realize everything is going to be ok (especially in a disaster), and nothing makes them feel better faster than taking time to play and spend time with them!

WHAT’S YOUR THREAT?

What’s the biggest threat to you and your family? Do you have any suggestions on how to prepare for a hurricane?

Check out some amazing blogs and how they attack their biggest threats to being more prepared and more self-reliant:

• Push Past the Fear and Just Do It!! – Mom with a PREP
• Living in Tornado Alley – The Busy B Homemaker
• {Forest Fire Safety} – Mama Kautz
• Why You Need Food Storage – Food Storage Moms
• Break in the Supply Chain – Homestead Dreamer
• Economic Downturn – Apartment Prepper
• Drought! – Ever Growing Farm
• Medical Emergencies at Home – Preparedness Mama
• Surviving a Tornado – Survival at Home
• Wildfire – Cooke’s Frontier
• Rising Food Prices – Common Sense Homesteading
• Economic Collapse – Timber Creek Farms
• A Personal Job Loss Situation – Food Storage Made Easy
• 7 Tips for Keeping Your Family Together in an Emergency – Food Storage & Survival
• Massive Blackout– Trailerpark Homestead
• How to Overcome a Lack of Motivation to Prepare – Home Ready Home
• The Unexpected – Are We Crazy, Or What?
• Our Threats Are Many, But Our Worries Are None – Trayer Wilderness
• Food Storage Without a Plan – My Food Storage Cookbook
• Hurricanes and Nor’Easters – Backyard Pioneer
• A Financial Disaster – The Surival Mom
• Staying Off the Radar – Geek Prepper
• Everything Becomes Too Expensive – Beyond Off Grid