Preparing for the Atlantic Hurricane Season: June 1 to November 30
The Atlantic basin, covering the Southeast and Gulf Coasts, North Atlantic Ocean and Caribbean Sea, experiences hurricane season from June 1st to November 30th. In Georgia and surrounding areas, peak hurricane activity occurs between August and October, with September seeing the most intense activity.
Luckily, direct hurricane landfalls don’t hit Georgia as often as some of our southern neighbors, but Georgia is a coastal state and is still affected by severe storm weather. Hurricanes cause catastrophic damage in direct landfall areas, but even miles inland damage can wreck havoc, devastate lives and livelihoods. Anyone in the Atlantic Basin needs to be prepared with a natural disaster and evacuation plan. This information will help keep you, your family and neighbors safer in event of tropical storms, hurricanes or other severe weather.
View our Natural Diaster Resources page or download our Disaster Preparedness Resources document and keep it handy.
Before a Hurricane
Prepare Your Important Documents. Be sure to store important life documents in a water- and fire-proof container in an easily accessible place in the event you evacuate. Consider advice from tech experts who recommend uploading your documents to a cloud system. These include documents you need in case of property damage, such as insurance policies, deeds; or establish your identity, financial information, etc. Cloud storage gives you another avenue to access documents and get back on your feet. Having multiple storage systems is advisable: if the grid goes down, you have your hard copy documents available. Again, put these important documents in special emergency water-proof or zip-top type bags.
Stay prepared and informed. Residents and businesses, especially those in our coastal areas, should stay prepared for hurricane season. Although weather forecasts can give us a reliable idea of hurricanes each year, having a “go bag” for each family member, an evacuation plan and emergency preparedness kits is vital. Being prepared also means staying informed by following weather forecasts; signing up for weather warning apps are helpful too.
Stay tuned into reliable info sources for as long as there is power or connectivity. Our list includes emergency mobile text alerts, local news outlets on TV and radio, local police and emergency services broadcasts, national weather alerts, social media outlets, sources like the National Hurricane Center (NHC).
These organizations are helpful to keep bookmarked on your phone:
- Evacuation Routes and Road Conditions: Georgia 511 or Georgia Department of Transportation
- Georgia Emergency Management & Homeland Security Agency
- Georgia Department of Transportation
- Track the hurricane – National Oceanic and Atmospheric Asdministration (NOAA) – National Hurricane Center
Plan ahead! Don’t leave preparation to the last minute. Fortunately, our weather services have some idea when a hurricane will strike. By the time a hurricane watch or warning is in place, it could be too late. By planning ahead, you take some stress out of getting through a hurricane.
Have a communication plan for your family. Your family members may not all be in one place when disaster happens. Having a family plan will make reconnecting happen more easily. Have a plan in place to communicate with each other (for example, maybe a group text if everyone has a cell phone) as well as a common meeting place.
Prepare children for an emergency. Involving children in emergency preparedness is important. Hurricanes cause other issues such as flooding, high winds and power outages so it’s helpful for them to know there may be more than one emergency that will happen. Since we generally know ahead of time a hurricane is coming, you have time to explain what’s going on. Allowing them to help with preparations can help alleviate some worry and fear. Having activities planned for them will also help when something scary might happen.
- The Red Cross’s Prepare with Pedro series helps kids learn about emergency preparedness for various kinds of emergencies.
- Watch Hurricane Preparedness with Pedro Penguin with your children in English and Spanish; Pedro Penguin explains power outages; Prepare wth Pedro – Floods.
Shelter in Place or Evacuate? Even if you shelter in place, have an idea of where to go if you decide to evacuate to higher ground until the hurricane passes. Prepare your car in case you need to leave without a lot of time; pack your supplies and fill your gas tank early on. If you decide to evacuate to a shelter, the American Red Cross provides important information to know before you go to help make your stay as comfortable as it can be.
Put Together a Disaster Survival Kit. It is generally advisable to prepare a 72-hour emergency survival kit for each person and pets. Whether you shelter in place or evacuate, packing for 72-hours (3 days) should help you and your family survive during the disaster. Essentials include:
- Water and food, human and pet if you have them; plan for a gallon of water per day per person.
- Light and power; batteries and external power sources
- First aid supplies; medication and perscriptions
- Comfort and cleanliness supplies; hygiene is important in survival situations
- Clothes – one extra set of clothes for each person
- Warmth – blankets, emergency reflective wraps (packing paracord can turn blankets into make-shift shelter
- Other items such as multi-tools or pocket knives, extra cash (if the grid is down, you won’t be able to access bank machines, etc.); if you have it, camping equipment is helpful.
- Remember to pack your important documents.
During a Hurricane
If you shelter in place, you can prepare your home to keep it as safe as possible:
- Shutter your windows, if you have them. Secure grills, outdoor furniture and small potted plants in the garage, if you can.
- Secure cars in your garage; tie down motorhomes and moor boats.
- If you are instructed to turn off utilities, turn your refrigerator and freezer to its coldes setting and avoid opening it. Prior to the hurricane stike, uou can also fill water bottles with water and freeze them to keep your freezer cold if there is a power outage.
- Disconnect propane tanks. You may want to unplug electronic appliances and turn off electricity if you can do so safely.
- Fill your bath tub or other large containers with water in case you need it for washing; keep bottled water rotated.
After a Hurricane
Your local authorities may not immediately be able to provide current info about what to do and what resources are available. Continue to monitor local news sources, listen to NOAA Weather Radio, or check government social media channels for official news and instructions. After a hurricane, there are still hazards to deal with, such as downed power lines, flooding and other health risks.
Secondary Tornadoes or Flooding. Your local authorities may issue a tornado warning or a flash flood or flood warning in the aftermath of a hurricane. Know the warning signs and monitor your news sources for warnings about Tornaodes in Georgia. Hurricanes, storm surges and heavy rainfall brings another disaster situation – flooding. If you live in a low-lying area, chances are your home or business is more vulnerable to flooding in general. It’s still crucial to stay alert until weather conditions subside.
Returning Home, If You’ve Evacuated. Return home only after authorities give the go-ahead and say it’s safe. Infrastructure, like roads and bridges, can still be compromised from structural or water damage. Homes and commercial businesses can be unstable or collapsed under fallen trees or light poles. Even when re-entry is authorized, be alert and cautious.
Stay Out of Flood Waters. Flooded rivers move faster than normal and can be full of debris under the surface. Waters may be contaminated or electrically charged; contamination can also happen with tap water, so bottled water is a safer option. Even if you are able to travel, flash floods can occur. If this happens while you are driving, or you’ve become trapped in your car, get out immediately to higher ground.
Downed Powerlines + Water = Danger. Be alert for and stay away from downed power lines. They are dangerous and if live, can cause electric shock or electrocution.
Document Damage. Should your home or business sustain damage, take lots of photos as soon as it is safe to do so.
With Hurricanes Come Flooding
With hurricanes and their storm surges and heavy rainfall, another disaster situation that follows flooding. The clean-up and recover process in the aftermath of hurricanes and flooding can be extensive. If you live in a low-lying area, chances are your home or business is more vulnerable to flooding in general. Read about Staying Safe in Severe Weather.
Georgia Disaster Mental Health – You’re Not Alone
Disasters come in many forms and are often unpredictable. Whether personal like a house fire or car accident, or impactful to a community or a culture, they are tragic and involve a sudden change in your life. Whether natural or man-made, disasters take a tremendous toll to both physical and mental health. Check the The Georgia Department of Behavior Health and Developmental Disabilities site for resources addressing coping with the mental health side of disasters. The site is sponsored in conjunction with the Georgia Department of Public Health.
It’s important to give yourself as much advantage as you can before an emergency occurs. Natural disasters can strike quickly and without warning; others give us fair warning but we still need to stay as prepared as we can. Click on the buttons below for a list of Emergency Preparedness Resources and a DIY Natural Disaster Kit Checklist.
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On disaster preparedness:
Petra Nemcova
We cannot stop natural disasters, but we can arm ourselves with knowledge.
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