Hurricanes are the most deadly and devastating natural disasters in the entire world. These storms cause millions of dollars of damage and loss of life every year.
While you cannot prevent hurricanes hitting your home, there is some things you can do to minimize the damage. These steps can reduce stress, and bring your home back to normal following a hurricane.
It is important to take preventative measures to protect your property against hurricanes, especially if the area is near the coast. It is important to prepare for storms well in advance, as it will make it easier to take preventive steps.
Minimize damage
When hurricanes strike a specific area, they cause significant damage due to their storm surge, heavy rainfall and wind. These winds can lift heavy landscaping materials and uproot trees, as well as throw them through windows. Strong winds can also destroy poorly attached roofs, damage utility lines and turn smaller debris into airborne projectiles that are deadly to humans and property.
Make sure your yard is cleared and any bushes or trees are trimmed before the hurricane arrives to minimize damage. You should move any items that can be hazardous during a hurricane (such as lawn furniture and trash containers) inside your home well in advance of the storm.
For hurricane-prone windows, you can board them with storm shutters or plywood. You should review and update any insurance policies to ensure that you have adequate coverage for the storm.
Upon returning to your home after evacuating, be aware of possible structural, electrical or gas-leak hazards. To avoid sparking, electrocution, or explosions, electrical power and natural or propane tanks must be turned off before entering.
To make it easier to file insurance claims in the event of a hurricane, take inventory of your belongings. There are many apps that can help homeowners with this task.
Keep yourself informed on the latest news and follow your community's evacuation route if you have to evacuate. This will save you time and stress.
Do your research to prepare a disaster preparedness plan to assist you and family in the event that a hurricane strikes. It should include details on where water is available, how to contact relatives and other useful information that will be helpful in the case of a hurricane.
In case of a power cut during a hurricane, make sure you have backup chargers for your cell phones and other electronic devices. The power may be out for days after the storm passes, so it's best to have a reliable source of backup electricity.
Avoid bringing outdoor furniture, decorations, and pools inside during a hurricane to reduce the possibility of them becoming airborne projectiles. This will keep you safer, as well as save money on the long term. You won't need to purchase new furniture or other supplies after a hurricane.
FAQ
How to Navigate with or Without a Compass
Although it doesn't give you a map of where you are heading, a compass can help you navigate back home if your bearings have been lost.
There are three ways to navigate:
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By landmarks
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Use a compass to find magnetic North
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By stars
Landmarks are objects that you recognize when you see them. They are trees, buildings or rivers. Landmarks can be useful because they are a visual indicator of where you're at.
Magnetic North is simply where the Earth's electromagnetic field points. The sun appears to be moving across sky if you look up. However, the earth’s magnetic field actually causes it to move around the Earth. While it may appear that the sun moves across the sky, in fact, the sun actually moves around its horizon. At noon the sun is directly overhead. At midnight, the sun is directly below you. The magnetic field of the earth is constantly changing. This means that the exact direction and orientation of the North pole magnetically changes each day. This could mean you can be off-course by quite a bit in one day.
Another way to navigate is with stars. The stars appear to rise or set above the horizon. These are fixed points in space that you can use to determine your location relative to other locations.
What is the difference between a folding knife and a fixed-blade knife?
Folding knives fit easily in pockets or backpacks because they fold up compactly. The blade folds away when not in use.
Fixed-blade knives are made to be used in normal usage. These knives have longer blades that folding knives.
Fixed-blade knives are more durable but less portable.
How can I find the right knife for me?
Choosing the best knife for your needs isn't easy. There are many knife brands that claim to be the best.
Which is the best one? How do you choose?
You must first consider the tasks that you intend to do with your knife.
Do you plan to cut wood, skin or chop animals, or slice bread?
Are you hunting or fishing with your knife? Is your knife meant for camping cooking or kitchen cutting
Will you use it to open cans and bottles? Will you be opening packages or boxes?
Is your knife strong enough to handle heavy loads?
Consider cleaning it after each use. Is it something you intend to do often?
Does it have to maintain its edge well over the course of time?
What is the average time it takes to get help after getting lost?
This depends on several factors:
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Where are you?
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Which terrain are yours?
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It does not matter if you are able to receive cell phone service
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Whether someone has seen you
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Whether you are injured
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How dehydrated you are
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Water consumption is a matter of personal preference.
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How recently have you eaten?
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Wearing appropriate clothing is important
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No matter if you're carrying a compass or a map,
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Are you familiar with the area?
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How many years has it been since your loss?
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How long did you spend looking for help?
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How long does people take to notice you are gone?
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How quickly they decide to search for you
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How many rescuers can you attract?
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How many rescues received you?
What can you do to survive in an emergency situation?
You don't have much time to think about what to say next. It is important to be ready for any eventuality. Be prepared to deal with any unexpected problem.
You must also be ready to improvise if you find yourself in a situation where you're not sure what to do.
You'll likely face problems such as:
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Finding yourself trapped in remote areas
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Getting lost
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Limited food supplies
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Water running low
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Facing hostile people
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Facing wild animals
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Finding shelter
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Predators can be defeated
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Setting the flame
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Using tools
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Building shelters
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Hunting
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* Fishing
What are some basic survival skills in the wild environment?
If you live off the soil, you must learn how to build a fire. This is more than just lighting a flame. It requires you to learn friction and fluent methods of starting a fire. It is also important to learn how to keep from getting burned by the flames.
It is important to understand how to create shelter using natural materials such as leaves, grasses, and trees. To stay warm at nights, you will need knowledge about how to best utilize these materials. And finally, you'll need to know how much water you need to survive.
Other Survival Skills
Although they can help you survive, they are not as essential as knowing how to light an open fire. Even though you can eat many types of animals and plants you won’t be cooking them if the fire doesn’t start.
You'll also need to know how best and where to find food, including edible plants and animals. You may become sick or die if this is not known.
Statistics
- so you can be 100 percent hands-free, and there's less chance you'll put your torch down and lose it. (nymag.com)
- Without one, your head and neck can radiate up to 40 percent of your body heat. (dec.ny.gov)
- Not only does it kill up to 99.9% of all waterborne bacteria and parasites, but it will filter up to 1,000 liters of water without the use of chemicals. (hiconsumption.com)
- We know you're not always going to be 100% prepared for the situations that befall you, but you can still try and do your best to mitigate the worst circumstances by preparing for a number of contingencies. (hiconsumption.com)
External Links
How To
How to Build a Fishtrap to Survive
A fish trap is a device designed to catch fish. It consists of two parallel bars (the "trays") that form a funnel shape. The water flows into one trap, and then settles on the bottom of first tray. This causes the water to rise. The water level rises and falls through the second bar. This allows the fish trapped to escape.
Fish traps have existed since antiquity and were used originally to catch salmon. They still function, but they can now be used to catch many kinds of freshwater catfish.
If you have a large enough fish pond, you can make your own trap. The trap's interior will need to be lined with some material. A commercial fish trap kits can be bought online if you don’t have much space. These kits often include everything you will need to make the trap.
These are some important things to remember when making your own fish trap
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Make sure the sides of your trap are strong so that water doesn't escape.
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Make sure you choose a location that is well-lit so the sun can warm the water.
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Smooth surfaces like stone or concrete are best for trap bottoms. Sand and gravel particles will gravitate to uneven surfaces.
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Keep the area around the trap free of debris so that there won't be any obstacles for the fish to get caught in.
Once you've built the fish trap, you'll need to put it somewhere near the edge of the pond. If the fish escape, don't panic. The trap should be left alone for a few more days to allow them to return in. There's no need to clean the trap because it should stay wet. If you notice dead fish around the pond you can easily remove them.