We are right in the middle of Hurricane Season (June-Nov)& so far this year we have been lucky! Now is the time to prepare BEFORE a storm comes. Most everyone in Florida has experienced the chaos of the stores when there is a storm brewing – with long lines, supplies gone & cranky people.  With a little planning – you can save yourself some stress & be prepared. 

Insurance- Home Buyers & Sellers BEWARE!

Insurance It’s a relatively unknown fact, but most insurers stop writing policies in the event of an impending hurricane. Insurance companies have stated that policies cannot be bound if a Tropical Storm, Hurricane Watch or Warning has been issued by the National Weather Service for any part of our state.These newer restrictions can cause you headaches if you’re considering shopping your policy this year & it can cause Major Stress if you are buying or selling a home during this period & the buyer cannot obtain insurance to close, be ready for delays -a good discussion to have with your real estate agent.

Additionally, if you are considering purchasing Flood Insurance, there is a 30-day waiting period for it to be effective. So if you wait until you know a storm is coming, you likely will not be covered.

Hire a Tree Professional to remove dead trees & trim branches that could damage your home or power lines.

Clean out your Gutters and check your down Spouts 

Yard Decor If a Hurricane Watch is issued take a look around for things that can fly -plants, hanging baskets, tools, lawn furniture, garden art, toys,bicycles, bird feeders, wind chimes, bbq pits, trash cans, playhouses, portable basketball hoops and doghouses.  Plan to store them in your garage to limit them from becoming projectiles. Trampolines can be taken apart or sometimes chained to something strong to prevent them from going airborne.

Pools Never empty your pool. Pools that have been emptied may experience serious structural problems & could even be lifted off their foundations.  If your pool is properly equipped with adequate drains &skimmers & the surrounding area is properly drained, the water level can probably be left as it is.

During a major storm, Turn OFF Pool Pumps & protect the pump motor, time clock, light transformers and electric heaters.

Supplies

• Non-perishable food (enough to last at least 3 -7 days)
• Water(enough to last at least 3 -7 days)
• First-aid kit (include any prescription medication you may need)
• Personal hygiene items and sanitation items
• Flashlights &Lanterns (have lots of extra batteries on hand)
• Portable Fan
• Battery operated or hand crank weather radio (again, have extra batteries)
• Waterproof container with cash and important documents
• Manual can opener
• Lighter or matches
• Books, magazines, cards, games for recreation
• Special needs items: pet supplies and baby supplies if applicable
• Coolers and ice packs
• Large Contractor Garbage Bags, a Tarp & Some String for leaks & clean up after the storm
• A Pair of Rain Boots
• Have all phones, power packs & laptops charged. Use your car or computer to charge your phone
• Be sure to have weather apps installed and set the apps to, "get notifications."Set your smart phones to "get emergency alerts
• Fill bathtubs & large containers with water (good for flushing toilets and washing only)
• Get extra tanks of propane for the gas grill
• Get Cash- ATM’s may not be working
• Gas up the cars & get gas for your generator if you hv one
• Have an evacuation plan
• 
  

& Remember Hurricane Parties can also be Fun! – have a few dvds you can watch on your laptop, decks of cards, games, food & drinks – get together with family, friends & neighbors… Regardless of the outcome of the storm, you will have memories to last a lifetime!

The links below will help you locate the closest shelter in your area & you can look up your evacuation zone:

https://www.floridadisaster.org/planprepare/shelters/

https://www.floridadisaster.org/knowyourzone/  after you enter your address -click on the legend icon top right of your screen