5 things you can do to prepare for a hurricane

Hurricane season officially runs from June 1 to November 30. Along the East Coast of the U.S., the season tends to be busiest between mid-August and mid-September. Here are some tips on how you can be prepared if you are traveling to or live in an area affected by hurricanes. 

1. Stay informed and listen to local media. Make sure you know more than one way to get the latest updates (including radio, TV, internet, social media), in case one outlet stops working.
2. Have an emergency kit with supplies for up to 3 days, in case you and your family are isolated in your home without power. A kit should include: bottled water, non-perishable food, first aid kit, personal hygiene items, can opener, cell phone with charger, battery or manual- powered radio, flashlights, and more. See a complete list of suggested items here.

3. Know where to go in the case of an evacuation. Make sure you’re aware of the local hurricane evacuation route(s) to take and have a plan for where you can stay.
4. Many communities have text or email alerting systems for emergency notifications. Try googling your city/town and “alerts.”
5. Create a family emergency plan. This will include information like:

• How will my family/household get in touch if cell phone, internet, or land line doesn’t work?
• How will I let loved ones know I am safe?
• How will family/household get to a meeting place after the emergency?

Haven’s Family Connect is a valuable resource during everyday life and emergencies. In a hurricane or other natural disasters, Family Connect helps you locate family members, ask if they are OK, and call 9-1-1 for them if they need help.

Learn more about hurricane season travel and hurricane emergency preparedness.