Storm Warning | Stay Safe | Florida

A hurricane and a storm surge warning have been issued for the Florida Keys as Tropical Storm Eta strengthens over the warm waters of the Florida Bays. 

Eta has a threatening storm surge of up to 5 feet that could hit anywhere from Bonita Beach to Steinhatchee River, as well as Tampa Bay and Charlotte Harbor, according to forecast predictions. All these areas are currently under a storm surge warning.

In the next 48 hours, Heavy rainfall of 3 to 4 inches, with storm accumulation of 6 inches is expected in western and central Florida.

As we continue hoping for an Eta Tropical storm to take their headstrong clouds back into the ocean and lash out their anger far from the human presence, the thing is that such hurricanes are inevitable to make landfall anytime.

It’s better to follow some precautions and prepare yourself so that you and your home can make it through the storm unharmed. Follow these following hurricane safety tips to strengthen your armour before facing this dreadful storm.

There are some of the things that come to mind when it comes to storms, floods or hurricane:

National Hurricane center guidelines

Hurricane preparedness kit

What to do during a tropical storm

How to prepare before a tropical storm

Hurricane supply list

Hurricane preparedness plan template and whats more…

So, before you start panicking, here’s the ultimate hurricane preparedness checklist 2020!

Stay in your homes and keep your distance from the windows…

Look for the mandatory evacuation order issued for your area, if there is, we strongly recommend you to evacuate and move to safe houses as soon as possible!

The farther you’re from the hurricanes’ path of potential destruction, the safest you will be! And if there are no orders of necessary evacuation, you’re required to stay inside till the storm threat subsides. Make sure to keep your distance from glass windows, doors and any fragile structure that can potentially shatter from the strong winds.

Even if you have impact-resistance doors and windows, it’s still a safe measure to keep yourself and your family members away while the storm is passing through.

If the storm appears to have calmed down outside, you should better remain inside if you don’t recognize the calm eye of the storm.

Keep yourself updated from national and local alerts

If you live near coastal areas, your area will mostly like to face a major outage during the storm. This knocks out your connection with the internet, TV, cell phone services, and almost all the high-tech wireless communication means you have with the world outside. 

That’s when a battery-powered portable radio comes in handy to stay informed with the weather updates. This dated-gadget will keep you connected with the outside world till the power at your area restores. 

Make sure to tune into the National Weather Service, a radio channel which broadcasts all storm updates, warnings and monitors weather updates throughout the day. Don’t forget to stock up extra batteries before the storm hits.

You might need to turn off the main energy source

Surprisingly, there are many people who don’t even know how to turn off the main supply of electricity, water or gas sources at their homes. If a storm Eta knocks off the power supply at our home, you should know how to turn off the main power source to prevent your home and other electrical appliances from short circuits after the electricity restores. The high-voltage of electricity could also cause fire, so you need to be extra careful.

The main water supply also needs to be turned off. This is important to avoid overflowing. It also helps in avoiding potential flooding from your toilets, sinks and bathtubs. 

Be extra careful while using temporary power resources

If a storm causes power outage to your house, you may want to use a generator for utilizing everyday electronic appliances until the electricity is restored. It’s crucial to operate a generator in the right way so that you can prevent any potential mishap.

Make sure that your generator is kept in a place with good ventilation, as it releases carbon monoxide which can be harmful for inhalation.

Even if you opt to lit a candle during a power outage, ensure that it’s kept beyond children’s reach and far away from any highly flammable stuff. You may find this advice too obvious, but it’s better to be extra-informed and vigilant, especially when you can’t afford to have any emergency situations during a storm.

Beware when water rushing into your home

Heavy rainfall is expected to hit Florida in the next 24 hours, so it’s very likely to have a flooding situation in your neighbourhood. In case you find water rushing into your home either from windows or doors, we strongly recommend you to turn off your main power source. The floodwater can make things electrocuted which can lead to a house fire. 

You can use some towels and other similar material to prevent the water from coming into your home. 

Bring in all the outdoor stuff and furniture that can blow away

Storm brings powerful winds, so it’s better to bring all your stuff and furniture indoors to prevent them from blowing away. This could also help ensure that those things won’t land on someone’s head and cause fatal injuries.

Stock up all the necessary supplies.

Before the storm heads your way, you better make sure that you’re well stocked with all the basic necessities of survival, such as food supplies, medicines, disaster supplies and so on.

Remove debris from any rain gutters or sprouts

Removing debris helps ensure that the rain drains won’t be clogged up, which eventually leads to flooding and inches-deep standing water situation on the streets. 

Have some cash in hand

During the storm, ATMs and banks will most likely be closed. It’s better to have some cash in hand, in case of any emergency situation.

Make sure that your car is filled with enough gasoline

It has been advised to stay indoors during a storm. But you still need to keep your cars ready if there’s any need for emergency evacuation

.