Hurricane Preparedness
The peak season for hurricanes is from the end of August to the middle of September.
The possibility of a hurricane hitting Hampton Roads is very real during this time of year. In the event of a hurricane warning (Hurricane expected within 24 hours), we urge you to take precautions for yourself,your family, and for the property that you currently lease or live in. By taking care of the property you ensure that you will have a safe and dry place to live after any storms have passed. We recommend that you make the following preparations:
- If shutters have been supplied with the property, it is time for you to secure them in place
- Move all furniture away from the windows, cover it or move it to rooms that are the least likely to receive damage
- Close all interior doors to minimize damage to the rest of the property
- Lower all shades and blinds
- Bring in all outdoor patio plants, pots, grills, chairs, tables, furniture, and pool cleaning equipment or other items, which may become missiles in a strong wind.
- Please notify a friend or family member that you are safe after the storm has passed.
- If you live on the top floor of a condominium or apartment building perhaps you will need to vacate because of the possibility of the roof being blown off.
- If you are located near the beach you may need to evacuate due to the storm surge.
- If you have a bathtub, fill it with water. This may be all you have for a while to bathe with or to use to flush toilets if the power is off for a few days.
- Be prepared to remove perishables from the refrigerator especially if you evacuate the area
- Be prepared to shut off main electrical breaker, gas and water supply especially if you will be evacuating
If you decide to ride out any storm at home, be sure to have plenty of drinking water, a portable radio, flashlights, batteries (for the radio and flashlights), a full tank of gas in your car (power may be off at local gas stations), personal or legal papers stored in plastic bags, first aid supplies, and plenty of pre-cooked canned food. Don’t forget the can opener! Other helpful items that we have found useful are rolls of plastic, large plastic bags, cellular phones (buy a car charger for your phone), tire repair kits, bug spray, and sun block for after storm, extra candles and all the laundry washed! Camping equipment is helpful as well as coolers full of ice. Make sure you have extra cash, if electricity is out for a while, you will need the cash as credit cards won’t work without electricity, nor do ATM’S.
If you are in a condominium complex, you may want to find out what emergency measures have been planned. Some complexes have stand-by generators to assist after a storm.
We suggest that you review the important information that is contained at www.ready.gov .It not only provides potentially life saving information about hurricane preparedness, but also important information regarding other types of natural and man-made disasters.
Win Sasse
Principal Broker
All/Pros Realty – All/Pros Real Estate
505 S. Independence Blvd Suite 111
Virginia Beach, VA 23452
