Prepare now for a hurricane

Hurricane season is here. It’s important to prepare early. The National Weather Service is predicting an above average hurricane season.

Here are a few things you can do right now to prepare for a hurricane, natural disaster or other emergency:

Prepare an emergency kit. Include enough nonperishable food and water to last 3 to 5 days for each person. Include prescription medications, pet food, a can opener, a radio, and extra batteries.
Have a first aid kit on hand.
Pack personal care products like deodorant, hand sanitizer, moist towelettes and toothpaste. Include extra clothes, a pillow and sleeping bags.
Make sure your supplies are stored together and easy to reach.
Keep important documents in a safe, waterproof place and create password-protected digital copies.
Make a list of important phone numbers, like your primary care doctor and specialists that you see. Keep it with you.
Locate the nearest shelter and plan different routes you can take to get there from your home.
Make copies of your government-issued identification.
If your local government offers text or e-mail alerts, sign up for your community’s warning system.
Have a designated safe place and practice getting to it. Become familiar with your evacuation zone. Plan the route you need to take when ordered to evacuate.
Plan how to communicate with family members if you lose power. For example, you can call, text, email or use social media. Text messages are more reliable and faster than phone calls during a disaster.

Learn how to best prepare before, during and after a hurricane by viewing our hurricane preparedness guide.

Take action today to stay safe in the event of a hurricane. For more information, go to https://www.cdc.gov/disasters/hurricanes/before.html.