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The Treasure Coast has been really fortunate over the years to have missed out on most of the storms that blow in off the Atlantic Ocean each year. You might say the luck ran out back in 2004 when two major storms came through within two weeks of one another. The worst came onshore in Ft Pierce area, and just tore though Stuart, Ft. Pierce, Vero Beach, Sebastian, Fellsmere and Melbourne. Basically all of Martin, Indian River County and most of Brevard County were impacted by the storms. It had been more that 20 years since the locals had seen a landfall so close, and many were not prepared for the destruction that came with the storms. It is never too early to prepare, and we hope that you can find the information you need to stay safe, after all we like having you as our neighbors!
Naturally the very first thing any of us should know is if there is a storm, where the storm is headed and just how much time we have to prepare our homes and families for what may happen. The best site I have found for this is the
Hurricane Track
web site. This is a great site to keep you informed about everything that is going on.
The next thing you really need to know is how to prepare yourself in the event that a storm does impact the area. It is never to earlier to plan and prepare. Don't wait until the last minute when the lines are long and the supplies are short. For great ideas on what you will need, check out the Home Safety Council website for ideas on what you can do now, before the storms come.
One of the most critical things that needs to be done to protect your home is to ensure that the high winds can not get inside your home, buy installing shutters or other kinds of protection on all of the openings, including doors, with a special emphasis on garage doors. Once the wind get inside, the pressure could take the roof right off your home, and that is never a good thing. Check out this web page to see how to install all kinds of window protection. Don't forget that if you use solid materials like aluminum, steel, or plywood, it is going to be very dark in your home. Some people prefer to use one or two Lexan panels along with their metal panels to allow the light in but keep the costs lower.
Another informative site for planning and all around information is the Center For Disease Control Hurricane web site. The information here fills in a lot of gaps and is very interesting.
Our friends at Lowes also have a great page with tips and ideas on how to prepare your home from top to bottom in case there is a storm. Check out their Hurricane Preparedness website to see all of the information they have made available to us.
In the event that a major storm does affect us, it is critical to know how to keep you and your family safe. Lowes has another page in their How To Library on How To Stay Safe. Read this one before the storm comes, so you know what to do, and more important, what not to do.
We are always looking for new sites to keep you informed and safe through the weather that may visit us here on the Treasure Coast. If you come across any sites that you think might be helpful to others, please let us know and we will add them to this page.
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