Make a Hurricane Preparedness Kit. Items that you can gather immediately would be flashlights, a radio (cranking ones are best), batteries for both, jugs of water to last you at least a week, non-perishable food items that can be heated up on a barbeque, food and water for your pets, blankets, and a fresh change of clothes. Don’t forget some lighters, matches, and charcoal, gas, or wood for you barbeque. Make sure all your items are waterproofed. Place them in two layers of Ziploc bags, and place in a safe area (the middle of your house, above where water to get to them). If you have a cell phone get spare chargers or a solar charger. Cash or traveler’s checks will also be needed, because if there is no power, there will be no ATMs and credit cards will be useless.
Prep your house. If you have storm windows, pull them down (as if it were wintertime). Tape each window pane with large sizes painter’s tape in the shape of a large X. Should the panes crack, the glass will be less likely to shatter an injure someone. It also makes cleanup easier. If you have hurricane shutters, make sure they are in good working order and can be closed properly. If not, you may consider purchasing plywood well in advance of a hurricane. Cut the pieces to cover the windows and doors big enough that they will cover beyond the trim with at least 6 inches to spare all the way around. Secure to your house using long drywall screws. If your house has masonry, consider installation of permanent wall anchors that you can use over and over again to screw the plywood into. Once your plywood is sized and cut, label each to correspond with the window that it’s to be used for. Mark it with permanent marker, and always note which side is up! Store your plywood somewhere where it can lay flat and not warp, and you will always have it in such an emergency. Plywood can become a very expensive and hard to find commodity just before a hurricane. Being prepared beforehand will save you money, time, and grief.
Keep a shutoff kit for your utilities. A wrench and plies to shut off the gas will come in handy and be sure to remember electricity, too. Shut off all individual circuits and then shut of the main breaker last.
Make an escape plan. Arrange a place to stay (with relatives or friends) in case you need to get out quickly. Map your route and always map a few extra different routes in case of traffic or flooding problems. Keep a list of all telephone numbers (including your local emergency shelter) with your hurricane preparedness kit.
For more information, including food safety links and more preparedness advice, please visit the link below.
http://www.ready.gov/america/beinformed/hurricanes.html