(WTXL) — Having a hurricane plan in place at your home or your apartment can make all of the difference in a major weather event.
For many of us, the past three years have been busy enough to be constant reminders of how important it is to prepare for an incoming storm. If you choose to stay or leave, it is wise to make sure your dwelling is safe and secure for a long duration of time.
“Be as proactive as possible," said Kelly Elliot, the Arbor Station Apartments property manager. "We can’t emphasize enough having all of the supplies on hand that everyone recommends.”
If you own a house, and there are nearby trees, make sure they are trimmed, and remove overgrowth and excess branches. If you rent an apartment, the property owners will likely take care of that.
“As far as we go, we do everything we can with our storm drains, making sure gutters and drains are all clear, making sure our trees are trimmed back as much as we can to prevent any damages to the homes,” said Elliot.
For the inside, it's always a good idea to grab the materials you need well before a watch or warning is issued.
“You can’t emphasize enough how quickly things can go wrong,” Elliot asserted.
Whether it's a house or apartment, many of these suggestions to prepare for a storm are the same.
“Clearing items off your patio spaces. Pulling things away from windows," Elliot explained. "Anything that can prevent serious damage inside your home."
But if you live in an apartment, there are a few different ways you need to stay prepared. For instance, renter’s Insurance.
“Making sure you have enough if everything is damaged. Making sure you don't just get the minimum. You want to think about if your home is damaged," said Elliot. "Do you have enough to get a new bed? Do you have enough to replace your clothes?”
Check with your property owner for information such as when services like maintenance may re-open, as well as information on clearing debris or damage.
Whether you live in a house or an apartment, power loss is a very realistic possibility when a storm threatens. Make sure you back up your private and personal data from your computers in case you lose power.
And if that power loss does happen, the freezer and the fridge are not going to work. You're going to want to make sure you have enough non-perishable food to last for a few days.