When should I evacuate versus sheltering in place?

Evacuate immediately if your local emergency management agency issues a mandatory evacuation order for your zone, if you reside in a designated storm surge flood zone, or if you live in a manufactured or mobile home regardless of category. If you live in a firmly built inland residence outside flood zones and have hardened shutters, sheltering in place is generally safer than gridlocked evacuation highways.

How much drinking water should I store per person?

Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) standards dictate storing a minimum of 1 gallon of potable water per person per day for at least 7 days (half for drinking hydration and half for essential sanitation). In extreme tropical heat without air conditioning, active adults require closer to 1.5 gallons daily. Remember to store an additional 1 to 2 quarts daily per domestic pet.

Does taping windows with duct tape prevent hurricane glass breakage?

No. Taping windows with masking tape, duct tape, or packing tape is an obsolete and dangerous myth. Taping does not increase structural wind resistance. Instead, it causes shattered glass to break into larger, heavier, and more lethal shards that can fly indoors at projectile velocity. Use code-approved impact shutters or 5/8-inch exterior plywood anchored into structural studs.

Where is the safest place to run a portable emergency generator?

Operate portable generators exclusively outdoors, at least 20 feet away from all doors, windows, garage openings, and soffit vents. Never operate a generator inside a garage, carport, porch, crawlspace, or near an open window. Carbon monoxide is odorless, invisible, and lethal within minutes. Always install battery-operated carbon monoxide detectors on each living floor.

How long is the waiting period for National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) policies?

NFIP flood policies have a strict 30-day waiting period from the date of purchase before coverage takes effect. You cannot purchase flood insurance when a storm is already named or entering the forecast cone. Standard homeowner insurance policies universally exclude rising floodwater and surge, making early pre-season flood coverage essential.

What should I do during the calm center (the eye) of a hurricane?

Remain in your interior shelter room. The eye is a deceptive lull characterized by low winds and sometimes clear skies, but it is immediately followed by the opposite eyewall where winds rapidly accelerate from the reverse direction with maximum fury. Never go outside to inspect damage during the eye.

Hurricane Preparedness — Family Safety & Supply Guide

Hurricane preparedness protocols, 72-hour disaster supply checklists, evacuation timelines, and home hardening procedures engineered to protect lives and secure coastal residences during catastrophic tropical cyclones.

Emergency Preparedness Timeline: 4 Action Phases

Executed sequentially as official National Hurricane Center forecast advisories evolve.

Phase 1: Pre-Season

Seasonal Readiness (May)

Audit homeowner and flood insurance policies (NFIP has a 30-day waiting period). Trim dead tree branches overhanging your roof, service backup generators, and document household belongings via video.

Trigger: Before June 1

Phase 2: 48 Hours Before

Hurricane Watch Issued

Fill vehicle fuel tanks and spare gas cans. Withdraw emergency cash (ATMs lose power post-storm). Charge auxiliary power banks, test flashlights, and review your designated evacuation zone map.

Trigger: Watch Advisory (48h)

Phase 3: 36 Hours Before

Hurricane Warning Issued

Deploy storm shutters or 5/8-inch plywood. Anchor outdoor patio furniture, trash cans, and grills. Fill bathtubs and clean buckets with non-potable sanitation water. Evacuate if under mandatory orders.

Trigger: Warning Advisory (36h)

Phase 4: 12 Hours Before

Landfall Imminent

Finalize indoor shelter in an interior windowless room (hallway, closet, or bathroom) on the lowest floor above flood risk. Keep battery weather radio active and helmets or thick blankets accessible.

Trigger: Gale winds arriving

Essential 72-Hour Disaster Supply Kit

Emergency responders may take up to 72 hours or longer to reach hard-hit coastal and inland flood zones.

Water & Hydration

• 1 gallon per person per day (minimum 7-day reserve recommended).
• Water purification tablets or unscented household bleach (16 drops per gallon).
• 1 to 2 quarts daily dedicated for each domestic pet.
• Sealed water containers stored in dark, cool, interior locations.

Non-Perishable Sustenance

• 7-day shelf-stable supply requiring zero refrigeration or cooking.
• Ready-to-eat canned meats (tuna, poultry), beans, stews, and soups.
• High-density protein bars, nuts, dried fruits, and peanut butter.
• Manual, non-electric rotary can opener and disposable cutlery.

Power & Communications

• NOAA All-Hazards Weather Radio with hand crank and solar charging.
• High-lumen LED flashlights and headlamps (spare alkaline/lithium batteries).
• Portable 20,000+ mAh USB power banks for mobile phone charging.
• Pre-printed emergency phone lists (cell networks frequently fail).

Medical & Prescriptions

• Minimum 14 to 30-day supply of all daily prescription medications.
• Comprehensive trauma first aid kit (tourniquet, gauze rolls, burn dressings).
• Over-the-counter essentials (acetaminophen, ibuprofen, loperamide, antiseptics).
• Spare eyeglasses, contact lenses, hearing aid batteries, and glucose monitors.

Vital Records & Cash

• Waterproof, fireproof portable safe for identity and property papers.
• Homeowners, flood, and auto insurance policies with adjuster phone numbers.
• Passports, birth certificates, deeds, titles, and medical history cards.
• $500–$1,000 emergency cash in small bills ($1, $5, $10, $20) as ATMs go offline.

Sanitation & Tools

• Heavy-duty 55-gallon contractor trash bags and zip ties for waste containment.
• Disinfectant wipes, hand sanitizer, moist towelettes, and personal hygiene kits.
• Multi-tool, adjustable wrench (for gas shutoff), work gloves, and duct tape.
• Multi-purpose chemical fire extinguisher (ABC-rated).

Home Hardening & Structural Damage Mitigation

Engineered measures to prevent catastrophic residential envelope breach and roof loss.

Window & Envelope Glazing

Install Miami-Dade / Florida Building Code approved impact shutters or accordion tracks. If using plywood, use minimum 5/8-inch exterior-grade CDX plywood cut to overlap window openings by 4 inches on all sides, secured with masonry anchor screws every 12 inches.

Critical: Never use duct tape or masking tape on windows. It does not prevent blowout and creates lethal glass daggers.

Garage Door Reinforcement

The garage door is statistically the most vulnerable structural failure point in coastal homes. When high winds buckle a standard garage door, internal air pressure skyrockets, lifting the roof deck from the inside and precipitating total wall collapse.

Install vertical and horizontal structural bracing retrofit kits or upgrade to a wind-rated door rated for 130–160+ mph.

Roof Deck & Soffit Anchoring

Inspect roof-to-wall connections for galvanized hurricane straps or clips. Ensure vinyl or aluminum soffits are mechanically fastened with screws rather than staples, as blown-out soffits allow wind-driven rain to saturate insulation, causing ceiling collapse.

Apply secondary water barrier tape along plywood roof deck seams when re-roofing to prevent internal leaks during shingle loss.

Life Safety Protocols: Landfall & Post-Storm

More than 50% of tropical cyclone fatalities occur after landfall during cleanup and power restoration.

Carbon Monoxide Generator Safety

Operate portable generators strictly outdoors at least 20 feet away from all windows, doors, and vents. Never run a generator in a garage, even with the door wide open. Exhaust contains odorless carbon monoxide that causes lethal asphyxiation in minutes.

The Deceptive Calm of the Eye

If the center of the hurricane tracks directly over your location, winds will abruptly cease and skies may clear. Do not leave your shelter. The eyewall on the back side of the storm will strike within minutes, with maximum winds from the opposite direction.

Post-Storm Flood & Electrical Perils

Never drive or wade through standing floodwaters: 6 inches of moving water knocks down an adult, and 12 inches can sweep away an SUV. Treat all downed electrical wires as energized. Watch for venomous snakes displaced by surge and floodwaters.

Frequently Asked Questions About Hurricane Preparedness

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