As a hurricane approaches, make sure you are prepared. Here are some tips to follow before the storm hits –

24 Hours Before Hurricane Winds:

• Fill freezer with as many water battles as it’ll hold (this serves as drinking water and to keep you cool if AC is out – Ziploc bags work great too!)
• Run AC at least a few degrees cooler than normal. If the power goes out, it will take longer for the house to get hot.
• Do all of your dirty laundry. You’ll need plenty of clean clothes if you get hot and sweaty and cant shower!
• Run your dishwasher. It will start to smell after a few days.
• Fully charge all devices and power banks
• Fill bathtubs with water for flushing toilets and cleaning.
• Bring anything that can fly around (lawn furniture, decor, plants) inside or make sure they are secured

Hours Before Hurricane Winds Start:

• Take a Shower (it may be your last hot one for days).
• If you have dogs, let them out to use the bathroom before winds get too bad.
• Set up the house with candles and flashlights. Do so strategically so that everything is easy to navigate and light if the power is out and it’s dark.
• If you don’t have a garage, park your car out of range of falling treese. Also, a high ground area is good if your area is prone to flooding.

Eye of the Storm:

• Take dogs out to use the bathroom and quickly assess any damages
• Don’t touch any damages or fallen trees
• Try not to be outside long, the eye can move quickly.
• Avoid driving.
• Use a weather radio to know the status of the eye.

After the Hurricane:

• If power is out, set light switches off. When power is restored, a neighborhood transformer can blow due to a high surge of power.
• Try to only use the bare necessity electricity until it has been back for a full day.
• Assess the damage and do any repairs that you can on your own.
• Watch out for and report any fallen power lines.
• Avoid driving if there is a lot of flooding, down trees and power outages in your area.