Preparation

GETTING READY FOR THE HURRICANE

  • Keep tuned to a local radio or television station for the latest National Weather Service advisories as well as special instructions from local government.
  • Check battery-powered equipment. Your battery-operated radio could be your only source of information and flashlights will be needed if utility services are interrupted. Buy extra batteries.
  • Keep your car fueled should evacuation become necessary. Also, service stations may be inoperable after the storm strikes.
  • Store drinking water in clean bathtubs, jugs and bottles as the water system may be contaminated or damaged by the storm.
  • Obtain extra prescription medications and medical supplies.
  • Many people board their windows or protect them with storm shutters. Windows are broken mainly from wind-driven debris. Wind pressure may break large windows, garage doors and double entry doors. The taping of windows does not keep the glass from breaking, it merely keeps broken glass in a more confined area.
  • Secure outdoor objects that might become debris. Garbage cans, garden tools, toys, signs, porch furniture, and a number of other harmless items become deadly missiles in hurricane winds.
  • Moor your boat securely well before the storm arrives, or move it early to a designated safe area. Do not stay on the boat.
  • LEAVE EARLY from low-lying beach areas that may be swept by high tides or storm waves. Leave mobile homes for more substantial shelter--they are particularly vulnerable to overturning in strong winds.
  • BE AWARE that some areas may flood long before the arrival of the storm. Your escape may be further complicated by the fact that high density population of some areas may require evacuation orders to be issued earlier than one day before the storm's arrival. Don't get caught by the hurricane in your car on an open coastal road.
  • If the Beaufort County Emergency Management Division advises evacuation of your area, DO SO IMMEDIATELY. Keep your car radio on to listen for further instructions, such as the location of emergency shelters.
  • Be alert for tornado watches and warnings as tornadoes are often spawned by hurricanes. Should you receive a tornado warning, seek shelter immediately in an interior bathroom or small hall, preferably below ground level.
  • Learn local evacuation routes and safe routes inland.
  • Trim back dead wood from trees.
  • Check for loose rain gutters and down spouts.

IF YOU OWN A BUSINESS

  • Remove window displays.
  • Put protective covering over windows and doors.
  • Move inventory to as high a level as possible.
  • Remove money and valuable documents.
  • Find the safest place for commercial vehicles.