5 Tips for Hurricane Recovery and Safety

Living by the coast you come to accept the possibility of a hurricane.

But even with a small stockpile of food and water, staying safe after a hurricane can be a challenge.

If you’re worried you don’t know what to do if your house floods, don’t panic.

You already have the best residential dumpster rental company available to you at the push of a button.

In a few simple steps, you’ll be prepared to withstand the next Katrina, Sandy, or Matthew.

Before the Storm

Anticipating a hurricane can be nerve-wracking, especially if you’re not prepared. We’re going to get you ready for what to do if your house floods.

Always start by putting together an emergency kit. A good emergency kit should have the following:

• Flashlight
• First aid supplies
• Food (non-perishables)
• Water
• Hand sanitizer
• Garbage bags
• Can opener (manual)
• Dust masks
• Batteries, batteries, and more batteries
• Bleach

Once you have your emergency kit start planning on a family safety plan.

Make a list of every family member’s allergies and health conditions for your hurricane preparedness kit. Make sure each family member has at least two ways to contact each other adult on the list.

Figure out your community’s hurricane evacuation routes before an emergency.

Knowing which route to take could prevent your family from getting stuck in traffic on the way to higher ground.

Plywood is great for boarding up windows when you’re in a rush. Trimming back any trees and bushes on your property will also prevent damage to windows when the storm hits.

You can call a dumpster rental service afterward to haul off all the soggy plywood.

Make sure your garage door is reinforced with straps because if the wind gets in it can cause permanent structural damage.

Eye of the Storm

Be sure to check online for hourly updates on the storm. You don’t want to miss an evacuation alert because you had your phone on silent.

Charge any electronics before the storm hits in case power goes out. If you have any backup batteries this is the time to check their power levels.

Even if you’ve boarded up the windows, stay away from them. Broken glass is hard to see and can cause a lot of damage fast.

Want to know how to make your perishable food last longer when the power goes out?

Set your fridge and freezer to their coldest setting. Only open if you absolutely have to in order to preserve the cold.

If you’ve been told to evacuate do so immediately. Don’t make the mistake of driving around barricades thinking you know better.

Find the part of your house closest to the middle, with no windows. Stay on the lowest floor possible that isn’t at risk of flooding.

If flood waters find their way in, whatever you do don’t go into an enclosed attic. Rising water can trip you in.

How to Recover from a Hurricane

Continue to check for hurricane response updates every hour. Make sure to wear protective clothing if going in to retrieve anything.

Before starting on any hurricane disaster recovery turn off the power at the main breaker if your home is flooded. If the streets are flooded stay inside. Power lines often go down during a hurricane creating a pool of death around them.

Preserve battery life. Use your phone and laptop only for emergency updates. Instagram will have to wait.

If you're lucky enough to not get flooded during the hurricane, you’re still going to need some dehumidifiers and a wet shop vac to start making your home livable again.

Be careful when turning on electric generators. Never put them inside because they give off dangerous levels of carbon monoxide which can kill you in minutes.

There’s also bound to be lots of standing and brackish water around after a hurricane which can be dangerous around a generator.

If you can, put your generator outside on a raised platform. Try and keep it away from gathering spots like porches and decks. If there’s nowhere else to put it beside one of these make sure everyone around knows to stay away.

Moving On

Surviving a hurricane can be one of the most traumatic experiences of your life.

Figuring out what to do if your house floods is a pain. Luckily finding a great dumpster rental service is much easier.

Getting any water-damaged debris cleared out is the most important part of what to do when your house floods.

Keep your family clean, dry, and safe by working with the best dumpster rental company in Jacksonville.

You’ll have a dumpster waiting at your doorsteps within hours so you can get on with your life.

Hurricanes come and go. A great residential dumpster rental service is for life.

Email or call us now for a free quote.