How to plan for hurricane season

There’s no getting around it: part of living in the South is six months of hurricane season, June through November. A season where we can all too easily be reminded that sometimes our only defense is being as prepared as possible. Rain or shine, check out our top tips on how to get ready for hurricanes and all they may bring – flooding, high winds, tornadoes, and more.

Tips for everyone…

Home safety tips:

• Stay away from downed or hanging power lines
• Do not cross flooded roads
• Avoid damaged trees
• Home safety kits should be easily accessible at home, work or in your car
• Have important family papers and keepsakes in a safe place
• Have contact information and a stand-by plan for elderly family members or friends who live alone
• Anchor patio and yard furniture
• Have properly installed soffits to keep water out of your home
• In a tornado, the safest place is on the lowest level in a room with no windows
• Turn off propane tanks

Generator safety:

• Use a portable generator or install a generator during power outages
• Generators should be stored outdoors about 20 feet away from windows and doors and protected from moisture
• Do not power the house wiring by plugging a generator into a wall outlet

Tips if you’re in a high-risk area…

Have a deadline to evacuate:

• Regardless of your plan, obey all evacuation orders from local officials
• Have a planned destination after you evacuate
• Map alternate routes in case roads are blocked
• Notify relatives by texting or using social media
• Know where emergency shelters are located
• If people are separated, set a designated meeting place beforehand

Family and pet emergency plans:

• Stay informed
• Have medications
• Have the phone number of a friend or neighbor in case you need last-minute help as a storm approaches
• Have copies of critical information
• Notify relatives
• Have baby supplies
• Know what to do with family pets
• Have pet food on hand

For more information about storm safety, including checklists, emergency supply kits, and tools to report and track outages, visit our Outage and Storm Center. You can also visit the National Weather Service Hurricane Preparedness website for more tips.