Hurricane Preparedness

As you know, Florida is prone to experience hurricanes, usually in late August through October.  The following is the information you should have in advance and for you to be prepared for such.  Since the exact path of hurricanes is not an exact science, and tropical storms can and often do change direction, it is always best to be prepared.

Sandcastle Community Management will be monitoring storms and acting accordingly to assist with the hurricane preparations before and after the storms.

We suggest the following steps to ensure your safety and that of your family.

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Make sure you stock up on water, food, and any medicines for at least several days.  It is likely that you may lose power for several days, sometimes weeks, so make sure you have either batteries and generator available.  If you have life-saving medical devices, you must plan ahead and make sure you have adequate backups for an extended period of time.  Have plenty of fresh water available, as well as non-perishable food items for you, your entire family, and your pets.

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It is a good idea to have bags prepared with medicines, clothing, important documents (such as identification documents, insurance, deeds, and bank statements), and food and drinks in case an evacuation is required.  It is never a good idea to have to search for these items in the chaos of a storm, especially if you do not have power.

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Have candles and flashlights ready, with fresh batteries.

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If you have a generator, be extremely careful where the generator is stored, and DO NOT OPERATE the generator in an enclosed area.  The fumes can easily overwhelm you without warning.  Even operating the generator in the garage poses serious risk for fire, in addition to the dangerous fumes.

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Remove any outdoor items that may turn into missiles in a high wind situation.  This includes patio and lanai furniture, barbeques, pots and plants, pool toys, and even water hoses and sprinklers.  Hurricane winds are very powerful and even heavy objects can easily turn into dangerous missiles.  It is best to store all these items in the house or in the garage.

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Make sure all doors and windows are locked, with the storm locks latched.  If your house has shutters, it is important that you attach the shutters to your windows and doors before the storm arrives.

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Make sure your important computer files, such as photographs and important files are backed up on a thumb drive or mobile storage device.

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It is best to completely unplug your sensitive electronics from wall outlets prior to the storm arriving.

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If you can, having sandbags around all the doors can save your house and belongings from flooding.  This will not help if there is massive flooding like Hurricane Harvey, but Irma appears to be a faster-moving system, which should not have a severe flooding impact.

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Have a backup plan in place, and make sure everyone in your family knows what to do in an emergency, and how to contact one another.

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DO NOT DRIVE until it is safe to do so.  If water is covering the roadways, it is extremely dangerous as you never know how deep the water is, or if any sinkholes have developed or bridges are out.  Stay in place until it is safe to move.

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If you do evacuate, make sure all your precautions are in place.  Secure your house.  Lock all the doors and windows with the storm latches, make sure all shutters are in place and any sandbags set, unplug all sensitive electronics, and if you are comfortable, you can even flip the circuits of non-essential appliances to save them from potential harm during thunderstorms and power surges, before you leave.

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Do not under any circumstances leave the house during the storm.  Even opening the door risks you getting hit by debris.

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