Hurricane Preparedness and Safety Tips

Moving to the Naples area means lots of sun, pristine beaches, and waterfront properties. It also means facing hurricane season, so it’s important to know about hurricane preparedness. 

Naples FL Hurricane

While intimidating for non-Florida natives, there are a number of precautionary measures you can take when buying a home in Naples that can reduce or prevent damages and ensure you know what to do should a hurricane hit.

Get Flood Insurance

Homeowners insurance rarely covers floods. If your homeowner’s insurance doesn’t cover floods, ensure that your new home is covered by taking out a flood insurance policy. Although many people don’t realize this, federal assistance in disaster situations like a hurricane often comes in the form of low-interest loans that need to be paid back. Having flood insurance provides more funds – and funds you don’t need to pay back.

Create a Disaster Supply Kit

Creating a disaster supply kit serves a two-fold purpose during a crisis: you and your family will be comfortably supplied with several days’ worth of food and water; just as importantly, you will then be able to focus completely on the situation at hand. Below is a list of items that should be on hand in the event of a disaster:

  • A 72 hour supply of nonperishable food and water
  • Flashlights and extra batteries
  • First aid kit
  • Sleeping bags
  • Medications and toiletries
  • Cell phone chargers
  • Battery operated radio
  • Entertainment (books, toys, games) for the kids

With the right planning, a disaster kit can be put together months ahead of hurricane season.

Reinforcing Vulnerable Parts of the House

The best precaution you can take is to strengthen and reinforce areas of the home where wind could potentially enter. Regardless of whether or not you plan to be home, it is a good idea to have a reliable plan in place should your residence be subject to high winds and possible flooding. These areas typically include:

  • Roof
  • Straps
  • Windows
  • Doors
  • Garage Doors

Other areas to consider when reinforcing your home include the area surrounding your lawn. Below are a few additional considerations you should take into account when preparing your home for hurricane season:

  • Trim trees and shrubs around your home so they are more wind resistant.
  • Clear loose and clogged rain gutters and downspouts.
  • Plan to bring in all outdoor furniture, decorations, garbage cans and anything else not tied down.
  • Check out the health of trees in your yard. Reground trees with clay and soil if necessary and cut them away from rooftops.

Know When and How to Evacuate

One of the most important things to consider is when to evacuate. The first step in this is to determine at what storm intensity level you will evacuate. In order to do this, check out a comprehensive hurricane rating scale and do some research to determine what kind of winds your home can withstand. Since Naples is a coastal area and prone to storm surge, you should be aware of how far above sea level your property is.

Having a definite storm intensity level in mind beforehand will make the final evacuation decision much quicker. Have a pre-planned evacuation route and procedure to follow, and leave as soon as possible to beat the rush. If you do not want to leave the Naples area, there are many shelters available. Click here for a map of shelters and evacuation routes.

Decide what you will do with pets. If you plan to leave them at home they will need an adequate supply of food and water for several days. For information about sheltering your pet, check out colliergov.net/pets.

Have Your Paperwork Handy

Finally, when you do have to evacuate, it’s important to carry two pieces of identification, a picture ID and one of the following: a utility bill, homeowners or business insurance document, tax bill, or some other form that contains both your name and place of residence. If a mandatory evacuation is issued, identification such as this may be required for re-entering your neighborhood (this measure helps keep evacuated areas safe from looting or other crimes).

Other items that may be of use include insurance information, like contact information, policy numbers, and coverage information. Also, a personal phone book could be very handy. If numbers are stored in a cell phone, be sure to write down important numbers before your battery runs out. Finally, take any other important documents that may be specific to your situation.

With these tips, you can stay safe in the event of a hurricane. To learn more about luxury real estate properties available in the naples area, contact Larry today!