5 TIPS FOR HURRICANE SEASON
Hurricane season officially kicks off each year in June, but as most Houstonians know, the activity we see in our region picks up in August and September. We have compiled 5 useful tips to prepare your family and your home in case a hurricane makes landfall in our area.
1. Make an Emergency Plan
Before a disaster strikes, prepare for what you and your family will do in such an emergency. Ready.gov is a useful resource to start your plan. You can download an emergency communication plan and fill it out with your families’ specific needs including deciding on an emergency meeting place and saving important contact numbers. Store this information in a place that all family members have access and know what to do in case you need to use it.
2. Stock Up
Stock up for your family and furry friends before a storm hits. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration recommends having enough supplies to last a minimum of three days. Items like medicine, baby formula and diapers, food and water, pet food and supplies, and a full tank of gas are recommended to be in supply not only for the storm but also for the potential aftermath when supplies may be scarce or limited. For a full list of recommended supplies visit Ready.gov.
3. Find Your Evacuation Route
Keep yourself informed on mandatory or suggested evacuations with your favorite local news source before a storm hits. View the Texas Department of Transportation’s official evacuation route map for more information.
If you decide to shelter in place, but need to evacuate afterwards do your best to tune into the news to understand any potential road closures or updated routes. Your best option may be to find a local shelter. Visit the Houston Office of Emergency Management site for details after the storm or download the FEMA app for a list of shelters.
4. Prepare Your Home
Each storm has a unique footprint. Some are wind events and others bring in large amounts of rain. Either way, you can help minimize damage to your home and surrounding community by doing the following:
- Bring in outdoor plants and furniture
- De-clutter drains and gutters
- Park your vehicles off the street or in a garage
- Tie down trampolines or other large structures that cannot be easily taken indoors
- Unplug electronics to prevent surge-related damage
- Trim trees and shrubs especially if they are close to your home or roof
- Stay tuned to local weather for additional tips based on the type of weather event expected
5. Charge Your Electronics
Keep your cell phone charged when a threat of a hurricane becomes imminent. Power outages will be common and your cell phone could be a lifeline to important information including evacuation notices or directions to the nearest shelter.
In case of a severe weather event that affects your clean drinking water or sewer system, the board approved an emergency communications alert plan earlier this year. All accounts were automatically enrolled in our text message alert system. This will allow us to communicate to you should a power outage prevent you from receiving alerts from our website or via email. An example of an alert is a boil water notice.
Have questions or concerns about Greenwood UD’s emergency text alert communication plan?
Contact us with your concerns. Public comments are taken at the beginning of each monthly meeting held on the third Wednesday at 6:30PM. Check out the schedule if you prefer to make your comments to the board in person.