What are the emergency procedures for a hurricane?

12/11/2020 (Permalink)

Emergency procedures for a hurricane

All along the East Coast, and especially in Florida, hurricanes are one of the most dreaded disasters. If you live in coastal places, like Martin and Saint Lucie Counties, you’ll need to be prepared and to know the emergency procedures, so a hurricane doesn’t become more complicated than it already is.

The first thing you need to do when there is a possibility of a hurricane is to keep an eye on the National Weather Service’s alerts.

• Counseling: The NWS issue counseling if they expect a storm to cause significant inconvenience that can be dangerous to you.
• Watch: It is issued by the NWS if tropical storms or hurricanes are possible within 48 hours.
• Hurricane watch: This means hurricanes and/or tropical storms are likely to be possible in a given area within the next 24 hours.
• Warning: A hurricane or tropical storm will usually arrive in your region within 24 hours.
• Tropical storm warning: It is issued by the NWS if a storm hits the coast or if a hurricane doesn’t hit the coast but is still close enough for damage.
• Hurricane warning: The NWS issues this warning if it expects a hurricane to hit the tropical Atlantic or Caribbean coast within 24 hours of the expected landfall. Precautions should be taken immediately.

If a hurricane threatens your community or local authorities to say it's time to evacuate, don't hesitate. Wait until the Hurricane Guard is issued, although it may be too late for certain precautions.

If the mayor issues an evacuation order due to a coastal storm or hurricane, those who have no other way to safely evacuate can apply for transportation assistance. Contact your local emergency management agency if you are dependent on public transport.

Get out early: If you are in a zone that is to be evacuated, leave as soon as possible. Stay in the evacuation zones, but do not leave them too early due to the risk of damage to property.

In an emergency, you should complete your evacuation as quickly and safely as possible. Make sure you have a plan for evacuating your home and for emergency medical services, as it can take days after a hurricane or flood to get into the city and for emergency services to open the streets and make it safe.

The best way to handle a hurricane emergency is to be prepared beforehand. In the rush of the moment, it’s very easy to forget basic things, from packing all necessary medicines to ensuring the safety of pets. When you have a hurricane preparedness plan, you will know what needs to be done and have less chance of forgetting something fundamental.

Once the hurricane is over, leave the evacuation zones only when the municipality or a competent authority gives clearance. Be very careful when entering your property, as flood waters, mold and other hazards can make it dangerous. Wait for the local authorities to clear up as much as possible and give the green light before you enter your home or business.

After that, you will need to hire an expert restoration company like SERVPRO of Martin County to make sure your property is restored to pre-hurricane damage state.

SERVPRO of Martin County offers our community advanced water inspection, extraction, and drying equipment to overcome hurricane and storm damage. Our experience and scientific methods of water removal and water cleanup allow us to properly dry and restore your home or office.

If your property has been hit by a hurricane in Palm City, Jensen Beach, Stuart, Hutchinson Island, Hobe Sound or Port Saint Lucie, SERVPRO of Martin County can restore it "Like it never even happened." Contact us today or save our number to your preparedness plan.

Phone: (772) 334-8762