Creating A Florida Hurricane Plan
Florida Hurricane Lawyers And Attorneys
Being properly prepared for a Florida hurricane means having a plan. Without a plan you will be panicking to get ready at the last minute and find yourself caught short. Creating a plan can even be fun and something you can get the whole family involved in.
Regardless of where you live in Florida you need to have a plan, whether it is in coastal areas like Pensacola, Jacksonville, Sarasota, Naples or inland in cities like Okeechobee, Orlando or Ocala. A successful hurricane plan should include:
● Preparation, including disaster kits and stocking up on supplies well ahead of hurricane season.
● Planning for securing your home when a hurricane is approaching Florida.
● A plan for meeting up in case your family is separated.
● Knowing your evacuation route and having alternative routes.
● Having a place to go when you need to evacuate.
● Several ways for you to stay in contact with family, friends and co-workers.
● Knowing what to do after a storm and how to file an insurance claim and get the money you deserve.
Make lists of all the hurricane emergency supplies that you should have on hand and make a budget and timeline for acquiring everything you need. Have everyone in your household pitch in with their ideas. Kids will especially enjoy going shopping and helping to pick out food and glow sticks.
Make a plan for securing your home. Know how early you will do it and make sure you have everything you will need. It will never go to waste and in the case you do not have to live through the devastation of a hurricane coming through your area this year you will be extra prepared for the next or any other disasters that come up in between.
Know what you will do if for some reason you and your partner or family is separated when a hurricane is approaching. Decide ahead of time how you will stay in contact and where you will meet up.
In the case of having to evacuate your home, which is quite common for those living near Florida’s coasts, know what the official evacuation routes are and also plan alternative evacuation routes to avoid traffic and avoid getting stuck in the path of the storm or in case the storm changes directions. Map it out and keep a map in your hurricane kit.
Your hurricane plan should include planning how you will keep in contact with your family and loved ones as well as work. Remember that new home phones that rely on electricity will likely not work and cell phone towers are often jammed or lines too busy to function. Consider having Internet phone services like Skype set up so that if you can get to a hotel or somewhere you can stay in touch. Two- way radios and walkie-talkies also make excellent ways to communicate during emergency situations like hurricanes.
Make sure that you have your homeowner’s insurance policy in a safe place and a copy as well. Choose an attorney ahead of time that can help ensure that you are treated fairly and receive all that you are due in case you need to file a claim and keep their number with you. Commit your plan to writing and even run practice drills.
