Florida is often associated with hurricanes, but it is also prone to tornadoes and other severe storms. To help you prepare for these potential disasters, here are some quick tips to protect your Florida home:
- Build an emergency kit: Just like with hurricanes, it’s important to have an emergency kit ready in case of a tornado or severe storm.
- Make a communication list and plan: Create a list of contacts. This list could include family, friends, work, and school. It will be helpful in case you need to reach out to people during or after an emergency.
- Prepare for high winds: Regularly trim trees and bushes, and remove any dead trees or shrubs as they can become dangerous projectiles in high winds.
- Strengthen your home with wind mitigation features: Adding wind-resistant features can help prevent or reduce damage, give you peace of mind, and save you some money on your policy. Learn more about wind mitigation features and potential discounts available to you here.
- Put together a home inventory checklist: An inventory checklist helps you keep track of your possessions, their costs, and their age. This checklist could save you time if you ever need to report a claim.
- Find a safe room in your home: Florida has few basements, so find an interior room without windows, like a closet or a bathroom.
- Check your policy to ensure proper coverage: Tornadoes can strike without warning, so make sure you’re covered by speaking with your agent at least once a year if you have any changes to your home.
- Listen to local news, alerts, and radio stations: Stay informed about local weather conditions and emergency alerts.
- Seek shelter immediately: If there’s a tornado, go to your safe room immediately. If you’re not home, find a secure room away from windows.
- Protect your pets: Take your pets with you in your safe room and keep them in a crate to ensure they stay safe with you.
- Stay indoors until it’s safe: Wait for the all-clear before going outside or leaving your safe room.
- Use the buddy system when checking for damage: For safety, use the buddy system when checking for damage to your home. While someone inspects, have someone else check for potential hazards.
- If you have damage, call us first!
These tips will help you prepare and protect your Florida home from potential tornadoes and severe storms. Remember, tornadoes can happen any time of year, so it’s best to be prepared.
