A HURRICANE WATCH issued for your part of the coast indicates the possibility that you could experience hurricane conditions within 36 hours. This WATCH should trigger your family's disaster plan, and protective measures should be initiated. Especially, those actions that require extra time such as securing a boat and leaving a barrier island.
A HURRICANE WARNING issued for your part of the coast indicates that sustained winds of at least 74 mph are expected within 24 hours. Once this WARNING has been issued, your family should be in the process of completing protective actions and deciding the safest location to be during the storm.
BEFORE A HURRICANE:
- Have a disaster plan.
- Have a pet plan. Before a storm threatens, contact your veterinarian or local humane society for information on preparing your pets for an emergency.
- Board up windows.
- Bring in outdoor objects that could blow away.
- Make sure you know which county or parish you live in.
- Know where all the evacuation routes are.
- Prepare a disaster supplies kit for your home and car. Have enough food and water for at least 3 days. Include a first aid kit, canned food and a can opener, bottled water, battery-operated radio, flashlight, protective clothing and written instructions on how to turn off electricity, gas, and water.
- Have a NOAA weather radio handy with plenty of batteries, so you can listen to storm advisories.
- Have some cash handy. Following a hurricane, banks and ATMs may be temporarily closed.
- Make sure your car is filled with gasoline.
DURING A HURRICANE:
- Stay away from low-lying and flood prone areas.
- Always stay indoors during a hurricane, because strong winds will blow things around.
- Leave mobile homes and to go to a shelter.
- If your home isn’t on higher ground, go to a shelter.
- If emergency managers say to evacuate, then do so immediately.
AFTER A HURRICANE:
- Stay indoors until it is safe to come out.
- Check for injured or trapped people, without putting yourself in danger.
- Watch out for flooding which can happen after a hurricane.
- Do not attempt to drive in flooding water.
- Stay away from standing water. It may be electrically charged from underground or downed power lines.
- Don’t drink tap water until officials say its safe to do so.
