How To Survive A Hurricane

Knowing how to survive a hurricane means you must know what category the hurricane is going to be.

Table of Contents

Understanding Hurricane Categories

While you could huddle at home and weather a category 1 or category 2 hurricane as long as your home is ready to weather a hurricane or severe summer storm.

However if the hurricane is expected to be a category 3, 4 or 5, your best option is to evacuate and get as far away from the path of the hurricane as you can.

Hurricane Wind Speeds

Category 1: 74-95 mph
Category 2: 96-110 mph
Category 3: 111-130 mph
Category 4: 131-155 mph
Category 5: 156 mph and higher

The amount of damage a hurricane can inflict rises exponentially with each category - from minimal damage all the way up to catastrophic damage at a category 5 level.

How To Survive A Hurricane

Make A Hurricane Survival Plan

Your best plan of action is to listen to weather broadcasts and see what the experts are predicting.

If they're asking you to evacuate, listen to them and evacuate.

Speed is crucial.

This is why having an emergency preparedness plan in place before you need it is so crucial.

During times of crisis, roads get blocked because everyone waited and now is trying to get away at the same time.

Downed trees and power lines also make roads impassable.

Being ahead of everyone else will get you to your destination much quicker and without hold ups.

How A Prepper's Mindset Is Different

This is one reason why you must have a bug out bag or evacuation bag for each member of your family that is ready to go.

A prepper's mindset is very different from that of a normal person.

A prepper is always alert and ready with a plan to evacuate if things get dangerous, while most normal people tend to take a wait and see approach.

That means always having enough fuel for your car to make a quick getaway.

It means knowing exactly how to turn off your electricity, gas mains, propane tanks, etc. at a moments notice.

Continue To Monitor The Hurricane Activity

You need to follow storm warning and weather reports, both before the hurricane hits, during the storm, if possible and after it is over.

One reason to follow the reports before the hurricane hits is so you have a good idea of what the best route to follow during an evacuation is going to be.

By monitoring the local radio or televisions stations you are sure to be well-informed and thus you can evacuate ahead of everyone else.

If it is a category 1 or category 2 hurricane, you could choose stay at home and wait for the hurricane to pass you by if you prefer.

Hurricane Preparedness Saves Lives

The best way to survive is to be prepared well beforehand.

Ideally, if you live in an area prone to hurricanes, install shutters for all your windows well before you actually need them.

One of the best things you can do it to reinforce your roof so it can withstand high winds and heavy rains from hurricanes.

A hurricane can easily rip off a poorly secured roof and leave everyone in the house exposed to high wind, heavy rain and flying debris.

Be sure to turn off your gas supply before the hurricane starts.

The hurricane might snap a gas line.

Move Unsecured Objects Indoors

Move all patio furniture into your house or the garage if possible.

These objects will become flying projectiles during a hurricane.

The same applies to flower pots, toys, garden gnomes, etc.

Any object that the wind can potentially pick up and toss is best to put it into a locked building.

Move Away From Windows

Keep away from the windows, even you have them covered.

While some people believe that taping windows will prevent the glass from shattering all over the house should they break, others believe that taping doesn't help, and the glass pieces that fly end up bigger than if the windows had not been taped.

The best way to approach this is to use window shutters as previously mentioned and avoid being near the windows as much as you can.

Other Essential Items To Have On Hand

Always have a first aid kit in the house and consider keeping some home remedy supplies on hand as well.

Make sure you or someone in your home has basic first aid knowledge.

If you have been storing food, water and other essential supplies then you won't need to rush out to the store to try to stock up.

However, if you do not have at least a 72 hour supply of food and water, then you need to take immediate steps to store as much water as you can.

You also need to make a trip to the closest store to stock up on food that does not require refrigeration or electricity to prepare.

Hurricanes cause storm surges and inland flooding.

This will contaminate the water supply and you will be short of drinking water.

Keeping a water filtration device such as a LifeStraw for every family member will help.

You should also make sure you have water purification tablets.

During a hurricane, the power could go out and boiling water may not be an option.

Final Thoughts

Follow these hurricane preparation tips and remember that proper prevention gives you the edge when it comes to surviving weather catastrophes or other unexpected emergency situations.

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