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Award-winning Florida real estate Broker PROUDLY SELLING IN PINELLAS, HILLSBOROUGH, PASCO, MANATEE & SARASOTA COUNTIES since 2004.

Hurricane Safety: Before, During, & After

May 9, 2017 By Chris

Hurriance season is less than a month away. Until last year, it had been ten years since Florida was struck by a hurricane and that left many people complacent and unprepared for Hurricanes Hermine and Matthew . We’re about to bring you up to speed on what you should do before a hurricane ever forms and when the threat is imminent, and after.

Before a Hurricane

We’ve previously written a hurricane preparedness guide that covers what you should do prior to the threat of a hurricane. We recommend that you refresh yourself with these tips every year and take stock of your supplies, replenish those that have expired or been exhausted, and update your evacuation plans.

If a hurricane is targeting your area, heed the evacuation requirements from officials. If you don’t and need emergency assistance during the storm, you may not receive it until it’s safe for officials to respond. You should survey your property and secure any items that are loose and could become airborne due to high winds. Many property owners also board up or tape their windows. This isn’t just to prevent the windows from breaking but if they do break, shards of glass will be more readily contained. You’ll also want to fill up a bathtub with water. If water service is interrupted, you’ll be able to use the water to wash your hands or flush toilets.

Hurricane Safety

During a Hurricane

If you haven’t been ordered to evacuate or have ignored the call to do so, you should remain away from all windows and doors. Closing your blinds and curtains also will help prevent a spray of shattered glass should a window or door break during the storm.  It’s good practice to constantly monitor the current status of the storm and any changes to evacuation orders either through television or radio. Rain and high winds aren’t the only concerns with a hurricane; tornadoes are also spawned off of the storms and can form quickly. Interior and low-lying rooms are the safest place to be during this threat.

Hurricanes are two part storms. As the eye of the storm passes over your area, it can give the allusion that the storm has passed and it’s safe to venture outside. Under no circumstances other than direction from officials should you go outside during the calm of a hurricane. The eye can pass over the area quickly and leave you unprepared or unable to return to safety.

After a Hurricane

Connect with family and friends as soon as possible after a hurricane to inform them of your safety and your location. This will help lessen the concerned calls first responders receive from worried loved ones. If you’ve been evacuated from the area, you should only return after being instructed by officials.

Flooding is a concern during and after a hurricane. We have safety tips on how to deal with flooding.

You should schedule a professional to come inspect your home for any damage after a hurricane. Even a minor leak can cause severe damage later if left unnoticed or unresolved. If you need to file a claim with your insurance company, take picture of the damage and don’t discard anything unless directed to do so by your claim’s representative.

Even with the technology available to meteorologists today, hurricanes remain unpredictable forces of nature. We hope these tips for before, during, and after a hurricane keep you and your family safe.

Filed Under: Blog Tagged With: flood, hurricane, natural disaster, personal safety, preparation, safety tips

Flood Safety Tips

May 2, 2017 By Chris

Flooding is the most common, most destructive, and most costly natural disaster on Earth. It effects a wide range of areas and flash floods can happen anywhere. With such a destructive force, it can seem impossible to protect yourself and your property for the wrath of water but there are steps you can take.

Before a Flood

Before flooding is ever an immediate concern you want to evaluate your family’s proactive response and proactively protect your property. Your family should have an emergency evacuation plan in place. This plan should include several ways to safely leave your home and immediate neighborhood and a final destination. For your property, you should have your property examined to see how water flows and if necessary make the necessary repairs and upgrades to ensure water flows away from your home. If you live in a floodplain you will be required to obtain flood insurance. Flood insurance is available to almost any consumers seeking it, including people who rent.

Threat of a Flood

Floods can happen quickly, especially flash floods. It’s important to be aware of the situation should your area fall under a flood watch. During a flood watch, it’s a good practice to remove or secure any items outside that could be dislodge by flood waters. You should also locate your bag of first aid and emergency supplies and secure it somewhere you can readily access it. Some municipalities will instruct residents to disconnect their electric and/or gas services at the breaker or main valve if the threat of flooding is imminent.

Flood Safety Tips

During a Flood

Adhere to all instructions by emergency responders and law enforcement. If an order for evacuation is placed for your area follow it. While evacuating do not drive or walk through standing water. According to Ready.gov, just six inches of moving water can knock over an adult and one foot of water can sweep away a car. Many of the fatalities attributed to floods are people who attempted to cross water and were overcome. If you are in a structure that has been inundated with water, do not touch or use any electrical appliances; if it isn’t safe to leave the structure, go to the highest point and make your presence known to first responders by using a piece of clothing or other material to signal for help.

After a Flood

The threat to safety is not over immediately after the waters begin to recede. You should not return to your property until instructed to do so by law enforcement or emergency responders. Likewise, do not assume that drinking water is safe until informed as such. Bottled water is your safest option for potable water but boiling it is also an option. You should still avoid walking or driving through standing water as it may contained harmful bacteria and raw sewage, it may be full of debris, and the ground underneath of it may not be sturdy. If your property has been damaged by a flood, take pictures and document all that has been damaged for insurance purposes prior to discarding it.

In Florida, residents are potentially at risk of flooding from hurricanes and weather systems that inundate the area with rain. Take the necessary precautions before, during, and after a flood to ensure that you and your family remain safe.

Filed Under: Blog Tagged With: flood, flood insurance, flood safety

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Chris Hounchell · RE/MAX Metro · 150 2nd Ave N. Suite 100 St. Petersburg, FL 33701 · Office: (727) 642-9107 · chris@hounchellrealestate.com