If You Stay at Home

If you stay at home:

  • Stay in an inside room away from doors and windows. Don't go out in the brief calm during passage of the eye of the storm. the lull sometimes ends suddenly as winds return from the opposite direction. Winds can increase in seconds to 75 miles per hour (mph) or more.
  • Protect property without taking any unnecessary risks, protect your property from damage. Temporary repairs can reduce your losses.
  • Stay away from windows and glass doors. Move furniture away from exposed doors and windows.
  • Stay tuned to media broadcasts. Keep a radio or television tuned for information from official sources. Unexpected changes can sometimes call for last minute relocations.
  • Remain calm. Your ability to meet emergencies will help others.

Prepare for Tornadoes, Storm Surge & Floods

  • Tornadoes, storm surge and flash floods are the worst killers associated with a hurricane.
  • During a tornado warning, seek shelter inside in an interior hallway, closet or bathroom on ground level. If outside, move away at right angles from the tornado; if escape is impossible, lie flat in a ditch or low spot.
  • The surge of ocean water plus flash flooding of streams and rivers due to torrential rains combine to make drowning the greatest cause of hurricane deaths.