RI Hurricane Preparedness Week. Day 1: Determine your risk

The National Weather Service (NWS) Boston, MA has declared July 10th through July 14th as Hurricane Preparedness Week. Each day this week we will highlight a different preparedness topic.

DAY 1 – Monday: DETERMINE YOUR RISK

Any tropical system with a name in the Bahamas has the potential to quickly become our business. There are two main source regions for New England hurricanes, the Cape Verde Islands off the west coast of Africa and the Bahamas. The Cape Verde storms can become huge because they have a week or more to travel across the Atlantic, and we know they are coming well in advance. Bahamas storms tend to be somewhat smaller, but they can develop rapidly and impact New England very quickly.

In mid-August 1991, a cluster of thunderstorms formed near the Bahamas on a Friday afternoon when most emergency managers went home for the weekend. It was not even a tropical depression yet, but it quickly developed into major Hurricane Bob that Saturday. By Monday, Bob had weakened to a Category 2, but had accelerated and was in for breakfast and out for dinner, like many New England hurricanes.

Do not concentrate on when the eye is going to make landfall. If you do, you will be too late with your preparations. Our storms often accelerate up the coast and when they do, become very asymmetric. The important effects of the storm are shunted way out ahead of the eye.

For example, even though the center of Hurricane Bob was still off The North Carolina coast, coastal roadways in Rhode Island were closed 12 to 14 hours in advance due to coastal flooding. This was associated with tropical storm force wind gusts in the outer rain band squalls. As another example, the eye of the 1938 hurricane moved from Cape Hatteras North Carolina to New Haven Connecticut in 8 hours, at times racing north around 60 mph! Unlike most storms, the 1938 hurricane did not weaken on its way toward southern New England due to its rapid forward speed and track.

So, remember a named tropical cyclone in the Bahamas should be monitored. Your safety preparations should be completed not started, by the time the storm is at the latitude of North Carolina. Do not focus on when the eye is coming ashore, because nasty weather will be occurring 12 or more hours in advance of the eye.

Low-Cost Way to Get Your Home Ready BEFORE Hurricane Season

The Insurance Institute for Business & Home Safety

IBHS is a nonprofit that studies homes and commercial buildings to identify vulnerabilities during severe weather and ways to strengthen them to perform better. Dr. Giammanco and his colleagues developed a research-basedHurricaneReady guide with affordable steps to help property owners prepare. You can find a sampling of the tips below.  

1. Review Your Insurance Policy – Assess your risk and ask questions if you have them.

·         Know what your insurance policy covers—and what it doesn’t. 

·         Store your insurance agent’s contact information in your phone. 

2. Inspect Your Room and Resolve Leaks – Existing leaks in your roof can worsen in severe weather.

·         Roof: A roof in need of repair is more vulnerable to high winds. Unsealed shingles are vulnerable to wind and rain. Have your roof inspected to make sure it’s ready to stand up to hurricane season. ($500)

·         Skylights: Install flashing around skylights to keep water from leaking into your home. ($100-$150)

·         Chimneys: Remove and replace the flashing, including the ice and water barrier, around your chimney to ensure no water seeps into your home. ($275-$475; Cost varies based on size of chimney.)

·         Flashing: Have leaky flashing removed and replaced. ($500; Cost estimate includes 127 linear feet of materials and labor.)

·         Roof valleys: Remove and replace leaking valley metal on your roof. ($500; Cost estimate includes 95 linear feet of materials and labor.)

3. Secure Soffits – Water can enter homes through unsecure soffits. Use stainless steel screws and a bit of sealant to secure soffits. Install stainless steel screws through fascia and channels so they connect the soffit material. Apply polyurethane sealant over screws and let dry for 72 hours.
    
4. Check Your Gutters – If water isn’t properly diverted, heavy rain can cause leaks in your ceiling or basement or other damage.

·         Clean any debris from your gutters. 

·         Extend downspouts away from the house to divert water

5. Seal gaps and cracks – Water can easily enter your home through small openings. Use a tube of silicone caulk to seal cracks and gaps to keep water out of your home. Check all exterior walls and around windows, doors, electrical boxes, vents, and pipes.
    
6. Trim Your Trees – Trees in your yard could pose a threat to your home during high winds. Have the trees around your home trimmed by an arborist. Remove branches that overhang the house and remove dead, dying, or diseased trees.
    
7. Service Your Garage Door – You should have your garage door serviced at least once a year.

Maintenance like tightening screw and bolts will prolong the life of your garage door and ensure it’s in proper working condition.

8. Service Your Generator in Case of Power Outages – Proper maintenance is critical to avoid the failure of a generator when it’s needed most.

·         The time to maintain a generator is well before a major storm or disaster strikes (when professional assistance may be unavailable, power lines are down, and access roads are blocked).

Set a maintenance plan for your specific model by checking the owner’s manual, which should tell you:

·         When to check and change the oil

·         When to replace the spark plug and air filter

·         When to clean the spark arrestor screen

·         How often to run the generator, which is usually every couple of months

·         How to store the generator, usually in a dry place

9. Create a Home Inventory – Documenting your belongings is easier before a storm.

·         If you have a loss due to a hurricane, you’ll have to itemize your losses for your insurance company. Create a detailed list or video of your belongings and store it somewhere safely offsite.

·         Learn more about how to create a home inventory from the Insurance Information Institute.

·         Note: Enabling geo-tagging (turning on location services) when taking photographs or video could help ease your claims process because it verifies the location of your items.