Hurricane Preparedness: Essential Steps for Safety

Sun Nov 30 2025 23:04:00 GMT+0200 (Eastern European Standard Time)

As hurricane season approaches, experts emphasize the importance of being prepared. Here are key steps to ensure safety and minimize disruption during storms.

Hurricane season can be stressful, but following emergency preparedness strategies significantly alleviates anxiety and damage. Local agencies recommend creating a preparedness plan that includes securing outdoor items, conducting safety checks, assembling emergency kits, and forming evacuation plans. Additionally, homeowners should assess their property and understand their insurance coverage. With proper preparation, families can remain safe and self-sufficient during a storm.

HOUSTON (AP) — The approaching hurricane season can induce stress in communities in the potential path of storms. However, effective preparation can significantly mitigate this stress, according to emergency management officials. Creating a comprehensive preparation plan that includes securing homes and conducting early preparations is crucial.

Don't be complacent; take preparedness seriously, investing time now to do the little things can make a significant difference when a storm strikes, states Brian Mason, director of Houston’s Office of Emergency Management.

How to prepare your home for a storm

Experts recommend securing any loose furniture or outdoor items that could become hazardous winds as a projectile. Shawn Schulze, regional CEO for the American Red Cross Texas Gulf Coast Region, suggests that homeowners take preventative measures to safeguard their homes.

Board up windows if possible, and place critical documents, such as passports and birth certificates, in waterproof cases, Schulze advises. This ensures protection from potential flood damage and makes retrieval easier during an emergency evacuation.

Mason further urges homeowners to have their roofs inspected annually and to be aware of turning off utilities in case of an emergency situation. Trimming trees and removing dead branches prior to hurricane season curbs risks associated with falling limbs.

Have an emergency kit

Every family should prepare an emergency kit with essential supplies. For those who choose to stay, the kit should include at least one gallon of water per person, per day, for a week, alongside non-perishable foods, medications, and essential power backups like portable chargers.

Ensuring the safety of pets is vital as well. Including food, water, and medications for pets will create a comprehensive safety strategy. For families with children, incorporating entertaining activities can help during power outages.

Have an evacuation plan

If evacuation is necessary, families should also assemble an emergency kit specifically for travel, pre-identify evacuation routes, and have alternate routes planned to avoid potential obstacles.

Mason reminds citizens to fuel their vehicles ahead of time and ensure electric vehicle owners know the locations of charging stations along their routes.

Schulze concludes that fear is a natural reaction as storms approach, but having a clear plan and communicating it to family members can alleviate anxieties during this stressful time.