Things You'll Need:
- Water
- Pet food, if needed
- Baby formula, if needed
- Diapers, if needed
- First aid supplies
- Batteries to operate radios and other appliances you own
- Refills for your prescription drugs
- Hygiene supplies like soap, deodorant and dental care items
- Cash, in denominations of $20 or less
- Plastic boxes
- Plastic self-sealing bags
- Hurricane shutters
- Plywood sheets, 1/2-inch thick
- Patio furniture
- Plastic trash bags
- Rake
- Saw
- Work gloves
- Work boots
- Gasoline
- Cell phone
- Out-of-state relative or friend
- Weather radio or regular battery operated radio
- Videos
- Cable TV
- Book
- Handicrafts, like crocheting, sewing or whittling
- Board games
- Canned foods like soups, stews and pastas
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Step 1
Store up at least 3 days worth of water and canned food for all the people and pets riding out the storm with you. Remember to include baby supplies, like formula and diapers, if you need them. A week's worth is even better if you can arrange it.
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Step 2
Stock up on other essentials like first aid supplies, batteries, prescription drugs, hygiene items and cash. Protect them by placing them in unbreakable, waterproof containers like plastic boxes or plastic self-closing bags.
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Step 3
Close the hurricane shutters over your windows, or nail up 1/2-inch thick sheets of plywood to the wooden frames. 3/4-inch thick plywood can be used if the local home improvement or hardware store is fresh out of 1/2-inch thick.
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Step 4
Take in your patio furniture and trim tree limbs that could damage your property or power lines if they were to be blown loose by the hurricane. Prepare for the inevitable cleanup by getting plastic trash bags, rakes, saws, work gloves and boots in advance.
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Step 5
Prepare an escape plan if you need to leave the area due to evacuation or long-term utility outage. Gas up your vehicles, charge up your cell phones and appoint an out-of-state relative or friend to be a notification person in case you and your family get separated.
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Step 6
Figure out how you will know when it is safe to come back outside. Most people rely on a weather radio or regular battery operated radio tuned to a news station. Listening for the storm to quiet down is not a good indicator, especially if you are in an area expected to be close to the eye of a hurricane.
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Step 7
Decide how you are going to keep yourself entertained while you are riding out the hurricane. You might want to get some videos in case the cable goes down, read a book you haven't had the time to enjoy until now, complete some handicrafts or play board games with your kids.
