If you live in a hurricane prone area, it’s important to make emergency preparations long before a storm is on the horizon.
Emergency preparations should include:
- Stockpile water and nonperishable food.
- Storm shutters or plywood to protect windows.
- Tarps and roofing nails to cover a damaged roof.
- Automatic standby generator or portable generator to deal with power outages.
A backup generator is a good idea even if you don’t live in a hurricane prone area, since the average utility customer in the U.S. experiences on average about 214 minutes of power loss a year. Automatic standby generators are the best option, since they’re:
- Fueled by natural gas or propane.
- Hardwired into your home’s electrical system.
- Safer to use than a portable generator.
- Turn on automatically within seconds of a power outage.
Portable generators are a less expensive option, but be sure to:
- Choose a quality brand with a good safety record.
- Only operate outdoors in the open away from your home.
- Equip your home with carbon monoxide detectors to alert you in case of a buildup of CO gas.
Taking these steps now, before a hurricane or severe weather strikes, will ensure that you and your home are prepared in the event of an emergency. For more information, visit our Severe Weather Preparedness page.