Be Prepared for Inclement Weather

Inclement weather can occur quickly, leaving little time to prepare. Whether you choose to shelter-in-place or evacuate from your home, it is important to have a plan and know what actions to take before and after a storm passes. The following tips can help you prepare for inclement weather.

Purchase a weather radio

A National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) weather radio will help you stay up-to-date as inclement weather develops. NOAA’s All Hazard Broadcast provides updates, informs listeners of when take shelter or evacuate, and gives notice once the severe weather has passed.

Secure your home

Taking a few precautionary steps to protect your home before a storm arrives can help reduce damages. Start by securing lawn furniture, garbage cans and other outdoor items to keep them from being blown away. If time allows, you can also trim any tree branches that are susceptible to breaking and causing damage to your roof, fence or other structures.

If strong winds and flying debris are a concern, consider installing storm shutters or fastening plywood in-front of glass windows and doors to help prevent them from breaking. If your property is prone to flooding, purchase sandbags from a home improvement store or obtain them from a local government agency to help divert flood waters from entering your home.

Plan for utility outages

Service outages are an unwelcome, but common, occurrence during severe weather. Consider stocking up on drinking water in the event your water service is cut off unexpectedly. Additionally, you may want to have batteries on hand to run small electronics or invest in a backup generator to power your home should access to your power service become unavailable.

It is also important to note that when power services are offline, so too are ATMs/ITMs and other electronic cards/payment systems. Try to keep some cash on-hand, as you may be limited to cash-only purchases until services resume.

Audit your essential items

Taking stock of what is inside your home and knowing where important items are will help you gather them quickly in the event of an emergency. Essential items include:

• Personal identification, medical records and any prescription medications
• A list of family, friend and emergency contact numbers
• Cash, debit cards and credit cards
• A first aid kit, phone chargers, flashlights and candles
• Hand-operated devices, like a pocket knife, can opener, lighter and matches

If you have adequate warning preceding inclement weather, try to fill the gas tanks in all of your vehicles in case you have to suddenly evacuate or leave your home. Should you decide to store a few extra gallons of gas, remember that gas degrades over time and will become unusable after about 3–6 months if not kept in optimal conditions.

Prepare emergency rations

Having adequate food and water supplies on hand is paramount, as stores may be out of inventory or closed due to power outages. When purchasing food for emergencies, look for items that require little to no cooking and have a long shelf-life, such as non-perishable canned goods.

Check your first aid kit and medications

Be sure to check your first aid kit for any supplies that need to be replaced. Also check the medications you take daily and see if you are in need of any refills.

Have an evacuation plan

Even if you are prepared to ride out inclement weather at home, having a plan for abruptly evacuating can help you get to safety when time is short. Be familiar with where your nearest storm shelters are and identify alternate routes to get there as roads may get blocked by debris, flood waters/storm surge or evacuation traffic. Remember to never drive through flood waters, as you cannot determine the depth of the water or the condition of the road.

Be sure to regularly check your local or state emergency management agency’s websites and social media pages for the latest alerts.

To find storm shelters in your area, visit your state Emergency Management Agency’s website:

• Alabama EMA - Alabama Emergency Management Agency
• FDEM - Florida Division of Emergency Management
• GEMA - Georgia Emergency Management Agency
• MEMA - Mississippi Emergency Management Agency
• TEMA - Tennessee Emergency Management Agency
• TDEM - Texas Division of Emergency Management

For evacuation routes and real-time road closures, visit your state Department of Transportation’s website:

• Alabama Department of Transportation
• Florida Department of Transportation
• Georgia Department of Transportation
• Mississippi Department of Transportation
• Tennessee Department of Transportation
• Texas Department of Transportation

If you decide to evacuate, unplug your appliances, and if you have time, turn off the gas and electricity. These actions can greatly reduce the risk of fire.

Make arrangements for pets

Keep your pets in mind when making severe weather plans. Consider how much food and water your pets consume in a day and have extra on hand to take care of their needs.

It is also a good idea to check with your local storm shelter/evacuation center to ensure that pets are allowed to accompany you in the event you have to evacuate. Many centers have rules that require pets to be contained in an appropriately-sized carrier.

Who to contact after a storm

It is highly recommended that your plan include having the contact numbers of active agencies that can help you with assessing and recovering from storm damage. Below are a few agencies that can be particularly helpful once a storm passes.

• Local support agencies and first responders (i.e., non-emergency phone numbers to your local fire, police and/or public works departments)
• Utility providers
• Home and auto insurance carriers
• FEMA — 1.800.621.3362
• American Red Cross — 1.800.733.2767
• City, county and state disaster relief agencies

To learn more about being prepared for inclement weather, review the Weather Disaster Preparedness Guide provided by the Mississippi Insurance Department.

For information about preparing for and recovering from a hurricane or another natural disaster, review the Mortgage Bankers Association brochure, Disaster Recovery: A Resource for Homeowners.