How to Get Ready for Irma

Hurricane Irma, if it stays on its current track, is expected to hit Southern Florida and possibly the East Coast by the weekend and into the following week. While it is not immediately known if evacuation orders will be mandated, people are being advised to prepare themselves. If you’ve never been through a hurricane before, knowing what to do can mean a difference between remaining safe and experiencing catastrophic loss.

1. Plan for an Evacuation

You may not be evacuated, but being ready in the even that an order is put in place is important. You should know where you will go if an evacuation order is given, and you should make a plan for your pets. Know the route you will take, and plan for alternate routes should the original be blocked.

2. Purchase Supplies

Don’t wait until the last minute to purchase the supplies you will need. If you wait until the hurricane is howling at your door, you may be unable to get out to buy what you need. If you are able to make it to the store, you could very well find yourself in long lines and playing a premium.

3. Check Your Policy

Before the hurricane hits, take time to check your insurance policies for your information about your coverage. Understand what it covered and what you may have to pay for own your own.

4. Copy Your Documents

Make a copy of important paperwork. You should make copies of any identifying documents you have, proof of ownerships and other important papers. Keep the copies in a hurricane kit or mail them to a relative or trusted friend that lives outside the path of danger. These copies could be necessary if your home is flooded and you lose the originals.

5. Protect Your Home

Last, but certainly not least, you will want to protect your home to the best of your ability. Board your doors and windows, put belongings in totes and raise them off the floor, and reinforce fencing. While doing these things may not save your home, they will protect it better than if you do nothing at all.

If you have been watching the coverage of Hurricane Harvey, you undoubtedly understand that preparing for Irma is in your best interest. Use the tips above to ensure that you are as ready as possible for the next major storm projected to strike the United States.