Well before a tropical storm or hurricane impacts our city citizens should:

• Review your homeowner’s insurance policy with your insurances agent and update the coverage as needed. Many insurance companies, limit or prohibit policy changes when a storm is within a geographical region.
• Establish a storm action plan that addresses:
• Where you are going to evacuate to
• What you are going to do with your pets
• Where you are going to stay, if your home is damaged and you are unable to live in it.
• What you are going to take with you if you do evacuate
• Purchase necessary supplies to safeguard your home from damage including:
• Protective covering for windows and doors
• Tarps to cover your roof after the storm have passed.
• If you plan on using a generator after the storm passes, purchase one or two fire extinguishers and always have one near by
• Purchase battery powered lanterns, flashlights, and radios
• Purchase plenty of non-perishable foods and bottled drinking water for your family. You should purchase enough to last you and your family during the storm and 72 hours after the storm has passed.

When a tropical storm or hurricane threatens to impact our city:

• Keep well informed on storm information and anticipated evacuation orders
• Begin safeguarding your home from damage, that includes
• Protecting window and door openings
• Removing all loose items in your yard that may become a projectile during the storm including:
• Grills
• Toys
• Chairs
• Inform your out of State family and friends where you will be evacuating to should the evacuation order is made
• Fill up all of you vehicles with gas and keep them full
• Fill up your fuel cans for your generators; however store them in a safe place in your garage.
• If you are taking prescription medications, make sure you have enough to last 7 to 14 days
• Withdraw cash or travelers checks before the rush.

When the Evacuation Order is made:

• Activate your family evacuation plan
• Leave early. Do not wait until the last minute. If you are evacuating out of the county, double or even triple your estimate travel time to your final location.
• DRIVE SAFELY

After the storm has past:

• Do not anticipate an immediate return to your home. We will not allow any citizen to return until the roads are cleared and hazards are removed. The time required to accomplish this will depend on the severity of the storm.
• Please stay informed with local news outlets for information on when it is safe to return. Please do not call the City asking when the roads will be open. City call takers will be busy addressing emergency issues.
• Drive Safely returning home

When you arrive back to your home.

• Look for immediate hazards, such as power lines lying in your yard or on you house. If you should see this, DO NOT TOUCH THEM-STAY CLEAR
• If you do not have electricity and you are going to use a generator keep the generator well away from the house. Do run the generator in your garage; Carbon Monoxide will enter your home.
• Do not connect the generator to you house; connect your appliance directly to the generator. Connecting the generator directly to the house creates an electrocution hazard to our power line workers.
• Drink plenty of water while working.
• Be careful working on your roof. Two citizens were critically injured last hurricane season while working on their roof.
• BE PATIENT. Your Public Safety and City workers are working as fast as they safely can to restore the city and many will have placed your families needs above their own because of their dedication to you.