• Distribute hazard maps and develop emergency plan, paying special attention to water & food storage and communication between your family members. Make sure to have out of area contact person. Keep in mind that help couldn’t be available for a few days after disaster and your family can be separated while it’s happening. Constantly run family charade in subject of what to do at home, school, work, while disaster is happening.
• If you live in high risk hurricane of tornado area you might want to consider special shelter construction. Since the perfect solution would be to escape underground it could be reasonable to remodel your basement.
• Stock boards, plywood and other necessary items to quickly secure doors and windows if needed.
• Also, try to keep your car’s gas tank at least half full during hurricane season.
• Pay attention to changing weather conditions, especially if you are planning a trip.
• Keep a map your neighborhood available for all family members in order to track tornado or hurricane if becomes necessary.
• It would be a good idea to organize a warning system developed by your local community through church groups and other social clubs for instance. Such warnings can be delivered via radio, phones or even door-to-door notice, which may turn out to be especially important to elderly and disable people.

If a hurricane or tornado warning is issued

• Get indoors immediately. Make sure your children or pets won’t go outside unnoticed.
• If you absolutely sure that time allows, secure or bring in outside standing furniture, motor bikes, garden tools and other possessions.
• Cover windows, doors and other possible openings plywood or other available material.
• Shut utilities off, if advised to.
• In case you don’t have a special equipped underground shelter, the safest place in the house would be basement. If don’t have it either get to the lowest floor. Stay by the main wall away from doors and windows. If things get nasty do not hesitate to go under any heavy, stable and reliable piece of furniture.
• Evacuate immediately if instructed to do so. Do not hesitate to leave everything behind.
• Do not drive during a disaster even if it may seem safe to do.
• Keep in mind that even if secured, mobile homes offer little protection from hurricane or tornado. It is strongly recommended not to take such risk.
• If you got caught in the car get out of the vehicle immediately and take the best cover possible. Do not get under a vehicle - even massive cars could easily be blown away. For the same reason you should never try to drive away from a tornado.
• Don’t use elevators during tornado or hurricane disaster. The power may go out and you could be trapped. If that happened crouch down, protecting your head.
• If you feel relatively safe and if all necessary precautions have already been taken try to maintain similarity of normal every day routine while waiting out the hurricane. For example organizing games and charades can palpably help children to overcome inevitable fear.

After disaster

Just like after nearly any other kind of disaster first of all you need to observe safety precautions. Getting outside, try to avoid downed power lines, flooded areas, bridges, causeways and over potentially dangerous zones. Don’t hesitate to report any kind of damage to proper authorities. Before entering a building make sure it’s structurally sound. Don’t use tap water until you’re specifically told that it is safe. Be aware of possible food and water contamination. Make sure to purify and boil water before drinking. In case you had to evacuate, do not return until appropriate permission has been given.