Hurricane Season 2023: How To Prepare
Hurricane, Severe Storm and Flood Planning
As June rolls around, hurricane season comes with it. Predictions are already in for the 2023 hurricane season and, as always, preparation is key. This year’s season, which officially commenced on June 1st and extends through November 30th, promises a mix of challenges and potential devastations. It's a significant reminder of the necessity of being flood prepared.
Although hurricanes occur worldwide, they particularly affect certain states in the U.S., notably those along the Atlantic Coast and the Gulf of Mexico. Florida, Louisiana, North Carolina, Texas, and South Carolina routinely find themselves in the crosshairs.
The severity of these tropical cyclones can range from Category 1 (least severe) to Category 5 (most severe), with wind speeds from 74 mph to over 157 mph. Given their potential for causing significant destruction and loss of life, it's of utmost importance to adequately prepare before a storm's arrival.
2023 Hurricane Storm Names:
This year’s list of hurricane names have been released. The naming of hurricanes follows a specific system managed by the World Meteorological Organization (WMO). The WMO maintains and updates six lists of 21 names each, which are used in rotation, one list for each year. The names are in alphabetical order, and alternate between male and female names. The names come from English, Spanish, and French backgrounds, reflecting the languages spoken in the Atlantic and Caribbean regions most affected by hurricanes. Here are the 2023 names below!
Harold
Idalia
Jose
Katia
Lee
Margot
Nigel
Arlene
Bret
Cindy
Don
Emily
Franklin
Gert
Ophelia
Philippe
Rina
Sean
Tammy
Vince
Whitney
Start Preparing for Hurricane Season:
How can we best prepare for a season of unpredictable and often brutal storms and flood events? The answer lies in four main areas:
Staying Informed
Preparing Your Home, Business or Facility
Creating an Emergency Flood Plan
Assembling a Disaster Supply Kit
Staying at the forefront of being prepared puts your home, business, organization or municipality in the best possible position to succeed against the damaging effects of severe hurricanes. The preparation can seem overwhelming when starting out. Here is how you can get started.
Staying Informed:
It is critical to be informed about potential weather threats. The National Weather Service provides valuable updates, including storm tracking and hurricane watches or warnings. Regularly check their website or use smartphone apps to stay informed. Understanding the jargon is also crucial. A 'watch' means conditions are possible within the next 48 hours, while a 'warning' means conditions are expected within 36 hours. Make use of local resources, like your community's evacuation plans and shelter locations, and follow their guidance.
Having the most up to date information is a major advantage when preparing for and reacting to a hurricane. With these severe storms, time is of the essence and each minute matters as these storms begin to close in. Knowledge is power, and being able to make the most of the available resources you have will increase your likelihood of survival and damage mitigation.
Preparing Your Home, Business, Community and More:
Preparation can reduce the risk of property damage. If you live in a hurricane-prone area, consider installing hurricane floodgates, flood walls, or pre-cut aluminum flood planks to protect your windows, basements and entryways.
Reinforce your garage doors with a durable and robust flood protection system and ensure your property’s roof and structure are hurricane-resistant. Trim or remove damaged trees and limbs close to important infrastructure. If a hurricane is imminent, secure outdoor furniture and other objects or bring them inside.
In addition to the above, preparing yourself for hurricane flooding is equally important. Today’s modern flood protection solutions allow you to outfit your property or facility durably and effectively. Flood walls, sandbags, flood barriers and more can be procured in advance and compactly stored until deployment is needed. Additionally, these solutions are designed to quickly deploy, saving you time and labor when preparing.
Creating a Home Emergency Plan:
Every household should have a hurricane and flood response emergency plan. This includes a communication strategy to connect with family members if separated and a predetermined meeting place. Know the best evacuation routes and make arrangements for pets, as many shelters do not allow them.
If evacuation is necessary, turn off utilities and unplug appliances to avoid electrical issues when power is restored.
Understand that everyone’s emergency response plan will look a little different. Thoroughly assess and examine the vulnerabilities you may face with your property and ensure that your bases are covered for whenever a hurricane makes landfall.
Assembling a Disaster Supply Kit:
Assemble a disaster supply kit well in advance. This kit should include water (one gallon per person per day for at least three days), food (a three-day supply of non-perishable items), a battery-powered or hand-crank radio, flashlights, first aid kit, cash, local maps, cell phone chargers, prescription medications, pet food, and important documents stored in waterproof containers.
Tips to Prepare for Hurricane Season
Combat Hurricane Flooding With Garrison
Garrison™️ Flood Control provides robust flood protection solutions that help combat the damage that hurricanes bring each season. Our products fit seamlessly when preparing your home, business and community for a potential storm.
As part of the preparedness process, our flood solutions are designed with durability and efficiency in mind. Our mission is to make preparation for storms such as hurricanes easier than ever before. Easily deploy our solutions in tandem with any emergency response plan, disaster supply kit and much more.
Start preparing for the 2023 hurricane season today by reaching out and seeing just how our variety of flood protection offerings can help you stay better prepared for any storm that comes your way.
Contact Garrison Today!
Garrison is here to help you find the best products that fit your protection needs. Feel free to contact us and we can start creating a dedicated flood plan for your property.
Garrison™ Flood Control is a New York-based manufacturer and distributor of a complete line of flood control products. Garrison products contain, divert, and re-route water away from valuable property, equipment, infrastructure, and facilities and help prevent flood damage due to rising water levels.
If you would like additional information about Garrison™️ Flood Control Systems, please call 929-299-2099 or email sales@garrisonflood.com.