Checklists
Before the Storm


  Checklists: Before the Storm, During the Storm, After the Storm
When a storm threatens
Inside the home
Get your key documents - passports, wills, contracts, insurance papers, car titles, deeds, leases and tax information - into a protected, dry place such as a safe deposit box or home safe.
Monitor the news.
Set the refrigerator at its coldest setting in anticipation of the power failing.
Fill the bathtub; it may be your main supply of water.
Stock heavy duty garbage bags for post-storm home and yard cleanup.
Check flashlight and radio batteries and have extras on hand.
Charge rechargeable cellular phones, drills, power screwdrivers, flashlights, lanterns, batteries.
Make sure you have enough toilet paper to last until you can safely get to the store again.
If you plan to leave, start packing. Don't wait until landfall to get on the road. Also, make sure that driving away is the best option. The roads will likely be clogged and staying put might be safer.

Outside the home
Refill special medications.
Get cash (ATMs may not work for days after). Don't charge credit cards to the limit in case you need extra cash after the storm
Get supplies. Follow instructions in this guide for food and water.
Don't fill gasoline cans; they are a fire hazard.
Fill vehicle fuel tank. Gas stations will run out.
Check battery, water, oil. Make sure you have a spare tire and buy aerosol kits that fix, inflate flats.
Prepare your pool. Don't drain it.
If you own a boat, make necessary preparations.
If you own a plane, have it flown out or secured.
Limit traveling to necessary trips.


When a warning is issued and the storm is approaching
Inside the home  
  Don't be misled by landfall predictions; strong winds could arrive hours before official landfall and many miles away from the eye.
  Move furniture away from windows or cover with plastic.
  Move as many valuables as possible off the floor to limit flooding damage.  
  Secure anything inside your home that can be thrown around.

Outside the home
Get shutters, storm panels or plywood in place on windows. If you haven't installed sockets, attach with wood screws; they're better than nails and do less damage.  
Don't tape windows; tape can create daggers of glass and bake onto panes.
Remove swings and tarps from swing sets. Tie down anything you can't bring in. Check for loose rain gutters, moldings.
Move grills, patio furniture, and potted plants into your house or garage. If you do any last-minute pruning, take the clippings inside.
Disconnect and remove satellite dish from your roof.
Check your mailbox. If it's loose, secure or remove it.
Remove roof turbines and cap the holes with screw-on turbine caps. Unsecured turbines can fly off and create a large hole for rain to pour through.
Prepare patio screening. It is usually built to sustain tropical-force winds, but as it fills with wind, it can separate from the frame. Officials recommend you remove a 6-foot panel on each side to let wind pass through. Pull out the tubing that holds screening in frame to remove screen.
Secure and brace external doors, especially the garage door and double doors.
Move vehicles out of flood-prone areas and into garages if possible. If not, park cars away from trees and close to homes or buildings.
Don't turn off your natural gas at the main meter. Only emergency or utility people should do that.


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