Residential Guide to Surviving Hurricanes in the Gulf South

By Cheryl H. Rivera

An easy to understand guide for new residents in the gulf coast, from Texas to Florida. Learn how to prepare for hurricanes, what to bring if evacuating, and what to do if riding out a storm at home. Includes evaluating safety concerns, how to select a generator, and tips regarding medical care and pets.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Cheryl H. Rivera
• Release date: Jul 2, 2013
• ISBN: 9781301786886

Cheryl H. Rivera

I enjoy writing and have decided to pursue ebooks as an option for some of my work. Smashwords makes that possible and with relative ease, so here I am.

Book preview

Residential Guide to Surviving Hurricanes in the Gulf South

By: Cheryl H. Rivera

Copyright

Residential Guide to Surviving Hurricanes in the Gulf South

By: Cheryl H. Rivera

Smashwords Edition

Copyright ©2013 Cheryl H. Rivera

All Rights Reserved.

ISBN 9781301786886

This work is licensed under the Creative Commons

Attribution NoDerivs 3.0 Unported License.

To view a copy of this license

http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nd/3.0/legalcode

Table of Contents

Residential Guide to Surviving Hurricanes in the Gulf South

Copyright

Table of Contents

Introduction

Making the Decision

Geographic Location

Structure Endurance

Floodwater

Windows and Doors

Evacuating

Paperwork

Packing

Pets

Destination

Before Hitting the Road

Keep Tabs on Jobs and Family

Riding It Out

Prepare!

Hotels and Shelters

Water

Food

Losing Electricity

Generators

Selecting a Generator

Inverters

Lights

Batteries

Get out of the Heat

Medicines

Communications

Teamwork

Conclusion

Introduction

Preparing for hurricanes in the Gulf South region of the United States is a serious endeavor. When the storms come ashore, from Texas to Florida and everywhere in between, someone will inevitably be in the path of the eye. Just as importantly, thousands of more people will feel the wrath of the eastern side of the storm, suffering through seemingly unending rain bands, straight-line winds, and tornados. In the aftermath, the lucky may have a little debris to pick up in their yards or off their roofs. Others may endure days or weeks without electricity or running water. Families who evacuated before the storm hit may be denied access to their homes by law enforcement, depending on the severity of the devastation. They could spend weeks in limbo just to learn if they have lost everything or are one of the lucky ones. The wait could be even longer to find out how their places of employment were impacted, when they are expected to return to work, and even if they still have a job. While neighborhoods wait for flood waters to subside and utilities to return, individuals have the added stress of waiting for word from friends and family and whether they made it through unscathed. Superior hurricane planning begins with the decision of evacuating or riding it out and is paramount to not only survive the storm, but also ensure provisions and supplies are sufficient to get through the hardships that follow the passage of the storm.

Making the Decision

Geographic Location

To stay and ride out a storm or evacuate the area is the first decision most residents make when faced with an on-coming hurricane or tropical storm. Residents of low-lying areas and coastal regions may not be given the choice and be compelled to evacuate by local law enforcement. If a mandatory evacuation is ordered, then leaving, and leaving early, is the best option. It is important to think not only of individual safety, but understand there will be delays of first responders to emergency situations of those that stay. Additionally, the dangers the first responders face to respond to situations should also be considered. To refuse to evacuate because you want to be there to protect your property from potential looters (people who break into evacuated homes/businesses in evacuated areas to steal or destroy whatever they want with complete disregard to law) makes