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PREPARE
Yourself and Your Family

Would you leave your home if a hurricane was imminent and you weren’t required by local authorities to leave? If you were required to leave, where would you go and what route would you take? If you decided to shelter in place, what would you need to survive?

Below are some resources to help you prepare.

CREATE A PLAN

Ready.gov is an excellent site to help you think through what you should do before, during and after a hurricane to remain as safe as possible. In addition, the American Red Cross offers a free emergency app (search “American Red Cross” in app stores) that provides safety tips, can help you find open shelter locations and delivers real-time severe weather alerts.

STAY INFORMED

Sign up for weather alerts and warnings from local trusted media or through the American Red Cross emergency app. Also, you can receive real-time weather alerts from the National Weather Service if you download the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) mobile app, free in the App Store and Google Play.

KNOW WHAT THE ALERTS MEAN

A hurricane watch means conditions are possible for the development of a hurricane. A watch is issued 48 hours before tropical-storm-force winds are expected to impact a specified area. You should begin emergency preparations.

A hurricane warning means hurricane conditions (sustained winds of 74 miles per hour or greater) are expected to impact a specified area. A warning is issued 36 hours before tropical-storm-force winds are expected to reach the area. You should complete emergency preparations and leave if told by local authorities to do so.

As reference, hurricanes are categorized by their sustained wind speeds, using the Saffir-Simpson scale:

  • Category 1: 74-95 mph sustained winds (ex: Hurricane Florence)
  • Category 2: 96-110 mph sustained winds (ex: Hurricane Ike)
  • Category 3: 111-129 mph sustained winds (ex: Hurricane Katrina)
  • Category 4: 130-156 mph sustained winds (ex: Hurricane Harvey)
  • Category 5: 157 or higher mph sustained winds (ex: Hurricane Michael)


Consider that the effects of tropical weather can be felt not only along coastal regions, but sometimes also inland for hundreds of miles. Water (e.g., storm surge, heavy rainfall and flooding) is often even more devastating than the wind.

HERE FOR YOU

As always, we are here for you. Contact Hylant or your local service team member to learn how we can assist you with reviewing your insurance policies, filing or defending a claim, and more.