When a Hurricane Approaches…..

A large part of the East Coast is under hurricane watches and warnings. While hurricanes are fairly common in the southern part of the country, it is a far rarer occurrence to have one hit the densely populated areas of New York City. If hurricanes are new to you, here are some things you can do to help protect yourself and your home from the storm.

If you have not already considered these action items, now is a great time to do so.

• Assemble your disaster supply kit that includes bottled water, non-perishable food items, medical supplies, batteries and flashlights.

• Bring in outside furniture and other objects that could cause property damage in the event of high winds.

• Make sure there is gas in the car and you are ready to evacuate immediately if you are told to do so. If you do evacuate, do not go back home until local officials say it is safe.

• If you don’t need to evacuate, be sure to stay indoors during a hurricane. Don’t be fooled if there is a pause in the wind. It could be the eye of the storm, and the winds will come again.

• Listen to a radio or television for weather updates and stay in touch with your neighbors about evacuation orders.

• Avoid using the phone except for an emergency so the phone lines can stay open for others.