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Letter to the editor

Go beyond basics in hurricane prep

By ELIZABETH BETTENDORF
Published June 8, 2007

Hurricane season is upon us, and with it comes a long to-do list of safety measures.

Most of us are well-rehearsed in the basics: hurricane shutters, drinking water and the correct supplies to have on hand.

But there are things that get overlooked, measures that might prevent more serious damage to our homes or important documents.

Here are some tips from experts that should help provide peace of mind when the first summer storms start brewing.

"People in Florida have been inundated with advice about what they should or shouldn't do in a hurricane, but what about the worst-case scenario?" says Lou Manfredini, Ace Hardware's national home improvement expert, who is also known as "The Helpful Hardware Man." He's also a veteran building contractor with a longtime Chicago radio show and a regular home contributor on The Today Show.

Manfredini says you need to document everything - just in case.

He suggests using a video or digital camera to document every aspect of your home. Start across the street and photograph your house, townhouse or condo "as it relates to the neighborhood, " he advises.

Inside, categorize and catalog everything from furniture to antiques to flooring. Then mail the list to a friend in another state.

Manfredini also advises duplicating vital home documents - titles, deeds, mortgage papers, and insurance policies - and mailing them to a friend. Keep the originals in a heavy-duty, sealed plastic bag in a fireproof container and take it with you if you evacuate.

Have a hurricane plan for your entire family, Manfredini says.

Ask yourself how you are going to communicate with each other and whether you have a solid evacuation plan.

"If you have kids who are in high school or college, they need to know how to meet up and where to go, " he says. "Remember that when the storm comes through, it will knock out cell phones."

It's probably a good idea to devise a communication plan in case the family gets separated.

Designate a family member or friend in another state as the central contact.

"That way if family is scattered and cell phones are out, when you find a working phone, that's who you call to say you're okay, " Manfredini says.

He also suggests agreeing upon a meeting place in a city far enough away from the Tampa Bay area, but close enough to drive to, such as Atlanta.

If it looks like a hurricane is going to hit and you're going to evacuate, it's also a good idea, he says, to shut off the water, gas and electricity. That means shutting off the main circuit breaker and turning off the natural gas and water at the meters.

If you have a generator and plan to run it, fill it with fresh gasoline and make sure it's in working order before there's even a hint of a storm. It should be at least 20 feet from the house and away from areas where carbon monoxide can accumulate. Be sure to put carbon dioxide detectors in many areas of your home, especially around bedrooms. Generator cords need to be 12-gauge and not more than 100 feet long, he says.

Karen Cobb a spokesman for Lowe's home improvement centers, says garage doors can be a problem spot during a hurricane.

"We're quick to protect windows and doors, but we don't think about whether our garage doors are built well enough to resist high winds, " she says.

Her advice: Replace the door with one that's reinforced or install a metal brace system.

Also, she says, don't forget to check windows and doors to make sure they're watertight - you can use a playing card for this - and caulk the areas where water could sneak in.

Besides trimming trees, it's also important to look around your yard for potential projectiles.

One often overlooked danger, Cobb says, is heavy mulch. Pea gravel and brick chips pose the biggest danger in high winds. Look instead for softer, shredded mulch.

Elizabeth Bettendorf can be reached at ebettendorf@hotmail.com.

[Last modified June 7, 2007, 07:30:05]