Preparing for A Nor'easter

6/2/2021 (Permalink)

A Nor'easter is a storm along the East Coast of North America

In some manners you will prepare for a Hurricane the same way.  Being prepared is the most important part of any storm.  Here are some steps and links to assist you in that preparation!

• Listen to a National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) Weather Radio or to a local news station for the latest information.
• Follow instructions given by public safety officials.  Many towns have email or phone distribution systems for emergency messages.  Make sure you are on the list.
• Review your family emergency plan.
• If you live or work in a flood zone, hurricane evacuation zone, or an area that is prone to flooding be ready to evacuate.  This requires an understanding of which roads experience flooding most often so you can have an alternate route in mind.
• If you are not in an area prone to flooding and plan on riding out the storm at home, gather adequate supplies in case you lose power and water for several days and are unable to leave.
• Prepare for power outages by charging cell phones and electronics (and portable cell phone chargers if you have them) and setting your refrigerator and freezer to their coldest settings. If you use electricity to get well water, fill your bathtub with water to use for flushing toilets. Gather adequate supplies in case you lose power and water for several days and are unable to leave.
• Keep your car’s gas tank full. Pumps at gas stations may not work during a power outage.
• Prepare your home.
• Secure or bring in outdoor objects (patio furniture, children's toys, trash cans, etc.) that could be swept away or damaged during strong winds or flooding.  This includes grills!  Despite their size and weight, strong winds can knock over grills causing gas lines to be severed.  Fire departments across Florida responded to numerous calls for ruptured grill supply lines during storms.
• Clear clogged rain gutters to allow water to flow away from your home.
• If damaging winds are expected, cover all of your windows. If you don’t have storm shutters, board up windows with 5/8” exterior grade or marine plywood.
• Go Tapeless! Taping windows wastes preparation time, it does not stop windows from breaking or make cleanup easier. In fact, taping windows may create larger shards of glass that can cause serious injuries.
• Turn off propane tanks if you are not using them.
• Prepare for flooding by elevating items in your home, unplugging sensitive electronic equipment, clearing nearby catch basins and parking vehicles in areas not prone to flooding.
• If instructed, turn off your gas and electricity at the main switch or valve.
• If you have a boat, remove it from the water. If you cannot, prepare your boat for the storm to reduce damage.

Always have your insurance company & SERVPRO of Columbia and Suwannee phone numbers in your cell phone so you can reach us, if necessary, to assist you with damage that might occur.