Hurricane safety starts well before the storm arrives. The people who fare best are those who prepare days in advance, make smart decisions during the event, and treat the aftermath with the same caution as the storm itself. Here’s what that looks like at every stage.
Build Your Supply Kit Early
Store one gallon of water per person per day, with enough to last several days. That number covers both drinking and basic sanitation like handwashing. For a family of four, you’re looking at a minimum of 12 gallons for a three-day supply, though a week’s worth is safer if you have the space.
Stock non-perishable food for at least several days: canned goods, peanut butter, dried fruit, crackers, granola bars. Include a manual can opener. A battery-powered or hand-crank NOAA Weather Radio with tone alert is one of the most important items in your kit. It receives direct broadcasts from the National Weather Service, including warnings specific to your county, even when your phone and internet are down. Keep a wrench or pliers on hand to shut off gas and water lines if needed.
Round out the kit with flashlights, extra batteries, a basic first aid kit, phone chargers (a portable battery bank is ideal), important documents in a waterproof bag, cash in small bills, and any prescription medications you take regularly.
Strengthen Your Home Before Hurricane Season
The roof is the most vulnerable part of your house during a hurricane. When wind gets underneath it, the entire structure can fail. Hurricane straps, also called hurricane clips or ties, are metal fasteners that connect your roof trusses to the walls below. They come in a few styles. U-shaped clips cradle a rafter and anchor it to the wall. Twist ties connect two or three rafters, with the three-rafter version better suited for high-wind areas because it distributes force across more of the roof structure. If you live in a hurricane-prone region and your home was built before modern building codes, having a contractor install these is one of the highest-value upgrades you can make.
Windows are the other weak point. Impact-resistant windows or pre-cut plywood panels for every window prevent the sudden pressurization that happens when wind enters a building through a broken pane. That pressure change is what rips roofs off from the inside.
Plan How You’ll Communicate
Cell towers get overwhelmed fast during hurricanes. Text messages are far more likely to get through than voice calls because they use a fraction of the bandwidth. Unless you’re in immediate danger, text instead of calling. This also keeps phone lines open for people dialing 911.
Before the storm, agree on an out-of-state contact person your whole family can check in with. Local calls often fail while long-distance texts still go through. Make sure everyone in your household has that contact’s number written down, not just saved in a phone that might die. Share your evacuation plan, shelter location, and any backup meeting points ahead of time so no one is guessing during the chaos.
If You Take Insulin or Other Temperature-Sensitive Medications
Power outages during hurricanes can last days or even weeks. If you take insulin, keep it cool but never frozen. Frozen insulin breaks down and loses effectiveness. Direct heat and sunlight also degrade it. A small cooler with ice packs works, but check the temperature periodically. If your insulin has been stored above 86°F, it may still be usable, but you’ll need to monitor your blood sugar more frequently since it could be less potent.
Before the storm, fill all prescriptions. If your insurance won’t cover an early refill, call your provider and explain the situation. Most states allow emergency overrides during declared disasters. Keep medications in a waterproof bag alongside your supply kit.
What to Do During the Storm
Stay in an interior room on the lowest floor, away from windows. A closet, bathroom, or hallway in the center of your home offers the most protection from wind and flying debris. If you hear a shift in wind followed by sudden calm, that’s likely the eye of the hurricane passing over. The storm is not over. Winds will return from the opposite direction, often just as strong.
Do not go outside to check damage until authorities confirm the storm has fully passed your area. Downed power lines, flying debris, and sudden wind gusts make the period during and immediately after the storm the most dangerous window.
Generator Safety and Carbon Monoxide
Carbon monoxide from portable generators kills more people after hurricanes than the storms themselves in many years. Never run a generator indoors, in a garage, in a carport, or on a covered porch. Place it outside with at least three to four feet of clear space on all sides and above it for ventilation, and position it so exhaust cannot drift toward any door, window, or vent. Carbon monoxide is colorless and odorless. By the time you feel dizzy or nauseous, you may already be in serious danger.
Battery-operated carbon monoxide detectors belong on every floor of your home, especially during extended power outages when generator use is constant.
Floodwater Is More Dangerous Than It Looks
Hurricane floodwater is not just rainwater. It’s a mix of sewage, industrial chemicals, and bacteria. Common contaminants include E. coli, Salmonella, and Vibrio, a coastal bacterium that causes severe skin infections if it enters an open wound. Floodwater can also contain coal ash waste with arsenic and mercury, spilled battery acid from damaged cars, and household hazardous materials from flooded garages and businesses.
If you must walk through floodwater, wear rubber boots, rubber gloves, and goggles. Any open cut or scrape that contacts floodwater needs immediate cleaning. Watch for signs of infection in the days that follow: redness, swelling, warmth, or fever. Tetanus is a real risk from puncture wounds in flood debris, so make sure your vaccination is current before hurricane season.
Never drive through flooded roads. Six inches of moving water can knock you off your feet. Twelve inches can carry away a small car. You cannot judge the depth or current by looking at the surface.
Purifying Water After the Storm
If your tap water is compromised and you’ve gone through your stored supply, you can disinfect water with regular unscented liquid household bleach. For standard 6% bleach, add 8 drops per gallon of water. For the more common 8.25% concentration now sold in stores, use 6 drops per gallon. If the water is cloudy, colored, or very cold, double the amount. Stir and let it stand for 30 minutes before drinking. You should detect a faint chlorine smell. If not, repeat the treatment and wait another 15 minutes.
Boiling is the most reliable method if you have a way to heat water. Bring it to a rolling boil for one full minute. At higher elevations, boil for three minutes.
Returning Home Safely After Evacuation
Do not return until local officials say it’s safe. When you arrive, approach your home carefully. Look for downed power lines, gas leaks (a rotten egg smell), and structural damage from the outside before entering. If the building looks shifted on its foundation, has visible cracks in the walls, or if you smell gas, do not go inside.
Once inside, photograph all damage before touching anything for insurance purposes. Open windows to ventilate. Check for standing water and be aware that any water-damaged drywall, insulation, or carpet can grow mold within 24 to 48 hours. Removing wet materials quickly is the single most important step in preventing a long-term mold problem.
Throw away any food that came into contact with floodwater or that was stored in a refrigerator without power for more than four hours. When in doubt, throw it out. Foodborne illness on top of storm recovery is a miserable and avoidable combination.