Hurricanes: Have a Plan

Hurricane season is from June 1 to November 30. Be aware that MD Anderson will not house employees who are not serving on the Hurricane Ride-Out Team or any employee’s family members or pets during a storm.

Consider the following questions when making your personal preparedness plan.

Riding Out a Storm at Home

Will the supplies in your hurricane kit last 3-5 days without restocking?
Where will you go if forced to evacuate quickly?

Evacuating

Are you familiar with area Evacuation Zones (pdf) and Hurricane Evacuation Contraflow Routes?
Do you keep your gas tank full during hurricane season?
Do you have extra cash or traveler’s checks on hand?
Do you have a neighbor or acquaintance who may need assistance evacuating?

Dependents

Are your family and friends taken care of if you have to ride out the storm at work?
Do you have a personal call-down tree to communicate with family and friends if you get separated during a storm? Have you double checked and updated your list of contacts recently?
Do you know how your child’s school will respond to an emergency? Have you made backup plans for children in case you cannot get home in an emergency?
Have you established gathering points and shared contact information with your family?
Have you told family and friends to “turn around, don’t drown” if they come upon floodwaters?

Pets

Are your pets taken care of if you have to ride out the storm at work?
Do you know which motels and hotels in your area allow pets? (Most shelters cannot allow pets.)
Are your pet’s identification tags current and securely fastened to a collar?
Are your pet’s vaccinations up-to-date? Do you have record of recent vaccinations?

Home

How will you prepare your home? Do you have adequate supplies and tools?
Do you know how to turn off your home’s water, electricity and natural gas if necessary?
Have you thinned trees of diseased and damaged limbs to reduce flying debris?
Are you familiar with portable generator safety?