**This post contains affiliate links to help your preparations go a little more smoothly**
Hey, y'all! Living in Florida, I've had to deal with my fair share of hurricanes. In the last year alone we've dealt with Hurricanes Hermine, Matthew and Irma here in northeast Florida. While the news does a great job of keeping you posted on the conditions of the storm, it's potential track and must-know information, there's one thing they don't tell you: how much work goes into preparing for a hurricane.
Let me be the first one to tell you, hurricane prep certainly isn't a picnic. There is so much that needs to be done regardless of whether you are evacuating or not.
Things You Should Know
Sandbags- Does your county offer free sandbags? And if so, how many are you granted per household? If your county does not provide you with sandbags, make getting them a priority! Did you know you can avoid the lines and buy empty sandbags on Amazon? If you order them early enough, they can be delivered straight to your door step! You can fill them with sand, flour, dirt, mulch and even cat litter.
Evacuation Zones- Make sure you know your evacuation zone! Here in Florida, we are broken up into zones A-F with A being the most prone to flooding. It is essential that you know what zone you are in when they begin announcing mandatory evacuations. If you live in the state of Florida, you can visit this website to find out your zone.
A mandatory evacuation doesn't mean you have to leave, however it does mean that you should be prepared to be self-sufficient for the first 72 hours of the storm. Utilities, high winds and water could isolate those who choose not to evacuate and emergency personnel will not be able to aid those in these areas during the storm.
Supplies- Basic supplies such as water, bread, peanut butter, tuna fish, batteries, sandbags, flashlights and gas will run out. Suppliers will do their best to continue to replenish the stock as long as it is safe for them to do so. Stores will close- yes, even Walmart! It is best to start preparing as soon as you get word of the impending storm.
Amazon was a huge help when we were getting ready for Hurricane Irma. We began placing orders about a week out. Here are some essentials you can get delivered to your door.
Pets- Don't forget about your fur babies. Chewy.com was a huge help when it came to ensuring our babies had enough food to weather the storm. They delivered it to us which meant we had one less store to visit while gathering supplies. Again, the sooner you do this the better! Deliveries will only be made if it is safe to do so.
You'll also need to be sure to have their leashes, documentation and any medication on hand. We packed a bag with their favorite toys, food bowls and all of the above mentioned supplies and had it ready in the event we needed to leave at a minute's notice. While we were at Walmart we made them an extra set of tags that listed their names and our contact info in the event of an emergency.
If your pet is skittish, consider buying them a Thunder Vest or Shirt to help relieve some of their anxiety.
Bridge Closures- If you are in a mandatory evacuation zone, take into consideration that the bridges will close at some point. If you choose not to evacuate, you could be stranded until the storm has passed. Here in Jacksonville, that happens when we reach sustained winds of 40 MPH.
Alcohol Sales- The sale of alcohol at stores and bars will cease as the storm nears. Stuck up on your beverages of choice early on.
Hunkering Down vs. Evacuating
Pay close attention to the forecast models but understand that these are simply predictions. The storm is going to wobble all over the place as it moves throughout bodies of water. You should be prepared to leave at all times! Both options come with a lot of preparation on the forefront.
I created this Hurricane Preparation To Do List to help you get ready. The first two sections, Outside and Inside should be completed by everyone, regardless if you are staying or going. One of the first things we always do is pack a "Go Bag". This bag contains 3 days worth of clothes, a first aid kit, spare leashes, dog toys, food bowls for our pets, and essential toiletries. We keep it packed and ready to go in the event that we have to leave.
Believe it or not, I am actually writing this post (to be published later) as we wait for Hurricane Irma to approach the Florida coast. We made hotel reservations just outside of Mobile, Alabama in the event that we decided to evacuate. When we saw that the storm was heading up the west coast, we canceled the reservation and decided to ride the storm out. Many of our friends have left and fought traffic (their trips taking anywhere between 4 and 15 hours longer than it should have). Hotel rooms are hard to come by as is gas. If you choose to evacuate, I strongly suggest having your lodging reserved or arranged in advance.
The most important part of dealing with a hurricane is staying patient. The lines in stores will be long, supplies will be hard to come by, traffic is going to suck, there will be gasoline shortages everywhere. Keep your cool. Know that everyone is experiencing the same frustrations and anxieties as you are. Getting hostile isn't going to solve anything.
Be sure to pin this for later... you may need it one day. See you next time!