Before a Hurricane Threatens

Know the elevation of your home above sea level. This information is available from local Emergency Management officials. Your nearest Weather Service office can supply flood stage data for area streams and bayous.

Learn Potential Maximum Storm Surge

Find out if your home is subject to storm surge (tidal) flooding. Information about the potential for inland flooding and storm surge is available through the nearest Weather Service office.

How Safe Is Your Home?

  • Plan to relocate during a hurricane emergency if you live near the seashore. If you live in a mobile home, always plan to relocate.
  • Know the Location of the nearest shelter. Emergency Management or Red Cross personnel can give you the location of the shelter nearest your home and explain what you should bring with you.
  • Plan for your family's safety. Know how to contact family members should the need arise.
  • Plan Route to Safety: if you must leave plan your escape route early. Check with Emergency Management personnel for low points and flooding history of your route. Check the number of hours it could take you to evacuate to a safe area during peak evacuation traffic.

Inventory Your Property

A complete inventory of personal property will help in obtaining insurance settlements and/or tax deductions for losses. Inventory checklists can be obtained from many sources, including your insurance representative.

Don't trust your memory. List descriptions and take pictures. Store these and other important insurance papers in waterproof containers or in your safety deposit box.

Check Insurance Coverage

Review your insurance policies and your coverage to avoid misunderstanding later. Take advantage of flood insurance. Separate policies are needed for protection against wind and flood damage, which people frequently don't realize until too late.

Do not wait until a hurricane is in the gulf; by then, it's too late. When a storm is heading to shore, insurance offices are too busy preparing for the emergency and won't be able to respond to individual requests, and insurance can't be obtained.

People with Access & Functional Support Needs

Together Against the Weather was created to help people with access and functional support needs better plan and prepare for hurricanes in the 13-county region of the Houston-Galveston Area Council. The Together Against the Weather strategies and tool kit of materials can be found by visiting the Together Against the Weather website.