Individuals that reside in locations that are prone to annual hurricanes can become desensitized to the dangers over time, and many stay behind at a time when evacuation would be the prudent move. The best way to ensure hurricane survival is to safeguard home and property and travel to a safer inland location, well before the storm hits land. Those who wait too long to evacuate may find themselves stuck on the highway or forced to stay put at home due to their own procrastination. Those who do decide to attempt to remain in their homes are in for a battle not only to save their material property but to survive a natural event that is best avoided. In any case, those endeavoring to survive a hurricane are in need of supplies, a plan and the ability to adapt quickly as necessity dictates.
Those who decide to attempt to ride out a hurricane are most in need of food and water, an emergency first aid kit, rain gear, and some type of personal flotation device. Hopefully the storm may pass in a few days, flood waters will subside, and life will begin to return to normal. In the worst scenario an individual must be prepared to survive for at least two weeks without assistance of any kind, and be solely dependent upon their own planning and skills.
Food should be ready to eat without any preparation necessary, canned foods and energy snacks are best for this. Water requirements for drinking are about one gallon per day per person, should be bottled, and is usually the one item that is most underestimated by people in a hurricane situation. Similarly, do not forget about the needs of family pets in terms of food and water.
An emergency first aid kit should be purchased with every possible injury addressed in it’s contents. Prescription medications for those attempting to stay should be filled well ahead of the hurricane. A battery operated light and radio should be kept on hand with plenty of spare batteries. Rain gear and an inflatable raft and life jacket are extremely important should you need to flee your home, and should be of quality materials.
While it is not a wise move to stay home during a hurricane, it should be noted that children and the elderly and disabled should be evacuated in every single instance beforehand. While we are each responsible for our own lives through the quality of our decisions, it is inappropriate to risk the lives of others based upon our own beliefs. This simple fact should be considered thoroughly, as many rescue and emergency workers die during every hurricane season attempting to save those individuals that underestimate the power of nature.
