Every year hurricane season starts on May 15, peaks at the end of September, but it really ends in November 30. here are some great pointers on how to prepare your home and family for a hurricane threat.

here's a checklist of personal things to do before and the hurricane season start:

1. Write down emergency phone numbers and keep them on the refrigerator or near every phone in your house. Program them into your cell phone too.
2. Prepare an emergency supply kit.
3. Locate the nearest shelter and different routes you can take to get there from your home.
4. Pet owners: Pre-identify shelters, a pet-friendly hotel, or an out-of-town friend or relative where you can take your pets in an evacuation.
5. stock an emergency food and water supply.
6. Make sure you have emergency medicine supply for a long period of time.
7. Check and mantain your emergency power sources such as flashlights (don’t forget extra batteries). Lets keep that generator running in perfect condition. Make sure you have extra oil, filters and plenty of gas.
8. Safety and personal items.
9. Important documents, including medical documents, wills, passports, and personal identification.
10. A fire extinguisher. Make sure your family knows where to find it and how to use it!

Keep your Car ready

1. Fill your car’s gas tank.
2. Always keep an emergency kit in your car
3. Move cars and trucks into your garage or under cover

Pets and Family

1. Go over your emergency plan with your family.
2. Keep checking for updates about the storm. Watch TV, listen to the radio, or check online.
3. Call the hospital, public health department, or the police about special needs. If you or a loved one is older or disabled and won’t be able to leave quickly, get advice on what to do.
4. Put pets and farm animals in a safe place.

Get your home ready

1. Clear your yard. Make sure there’s nothing that could blow around during the storm and damage your home. Move bikes, lawn furniture, grills, propane tanks, and building material inside or under shelter.
2. Cover up windows and doors. Use storm shutters or nail pieces of plywood to the outside window frames to protect your windows. Shutters play an important part in protecting your home This can help keep you safe from pieces of shattered glass.
3. Be ready to turn off your power. If you see flooding, downed power lines, or you have to leave your home, switch your power off.
4. Fill clean water containers with drinking water. You’ll want to do this in case you lose your water supply during the storm. You can also fill up your sinks and bathtubs with water for washing.
5. Check your carbon monoxide (CO) detector’s battery to prevent CO poisoning

Be ready to evacuate or stay at home.

Always listen to authorities regarding whether you should evacuate or stay at home. If a hurricane is coming, you may hear an order from authorities to evacuate (leave your home). Never ignore an order to evacuate. Even sturdy, well-built houses may not hold up against a hurricane. Staying home to protect your property is not worth risking your health and safety. You may hear an order to stay at home. If driving conditions are dangerous, staying at home might be safer than leaving. If you need to evacuate:

1. Grab your emergency supply kit and only take what you really need with you (cell phone, chargers, medicines, identification like a passport or license, and cash).
2. Unplug your appliances. If you have time, turn off the gas, electricity, and water.
3. Follow the roads that emergency workers recommend even if there’s traffic. Other routes might be blocked or flooded. Never drive through flooded areas—cars and other vehicles can be swept away or may stall in just 6 inches of moving water.
4. Contact your local emergency management office and ask if they offer accommodations for owners and their pets. Learn more about evacuating with your pet.

If you need to stay home

1. Keep your emergency supply kit in a place you can easily access.
2. Listen to the radio or TV for updates on the hurricane.
3. Stay inside. Even if it looks calm, don’t go outside. Wait until you hear or see an official message that the hurricane is over. Sometimes, weather gets calm in the middle of a storm but then quickly gets bad again.
4. Stay away from windows—you could get hurt by pieces of broken glass or flying debris during a storm. Stay in a room with no windows, or go inside a closet.
5. Be ready to leave. If emergency authorities order you to leave or if your home is damaged, you may need to go to a shelter or a neighbor’s house.