In general, we think there are far more positive aspects to living in Miami than negative. The beaches are beautiful and bountiful, the sun shines pretty much year round, the culture and diversity ensure that there is never a dull moment, and the economy is thriving. We find the Miami real estate market pretty fascinating too, as do many people these days. Nevertheless, everything can’t be rainbows and butterflies all of the time. Despite all of Miami’s awesomeness, it does have its downside, a bit of a natural nuisance if you will. Yes, every year we spend several months wondering if and when the next hurricane might spin our way. If you were born and raised here, you just know that hurricanes are a regular part of life for a few months a year. It’s a given. We’re so accustomed to them, and know the damage that they can inflict, that we thought it fitting to name the University of Miami teams the Hurricanes.
So, if you live in Miami and accept the inevitability, then you might as well ensure that you are prepared to weather the storm, whenever he or she may come. Although long time residents may be pros at riding one of these out, more and more not so hurricane-accustomed folks are moving into town and may not be as certain about how to plan ahead of time. Hence, we offer you our hints for hurricane season.
1. Listen to the weather people! In general, we don’t have much faith in the daily weather forecast. The iPhone app…not so accurate. Obviously, we can get a general sense of what to expect temperature and precipitation wise, but it’s usually not on point. With hurricanes, however, we pay attention. Satellites, radars, and all kinds of other technological gadgets track and record every detail of a hurricane. If the weather people say a storm is going to be bad and people need to evacuate, please listen. Isn’t it better to be safe than sorry?
2. Create an emergency kit. If you decide to ignore the weather people or it’s not an evacuation-worthy storm, you could still end up losing power. No power means no lights, no AC, no TV, and no internet. Invest in some battery-operated lighting, cooling, and entertainment options. A flashlight, fan, and radio are probably a good idea. In addition, have a stock of non-perishable food like protein bars and canned goods (don’t forget a can opener) and buy several cases of water. And, include some first-aid items in that kit in case you get hurt fumbling around in the dark.
3. Have a plan, escape or otherwise. If an evacuation is ordered or you decide you don’t want to stick around to experience nature’s fury, think about where you would go ahead of time. If you have family in central Florida, plan to head there. If your family is in Colorado, perhaps you should figure out where an affordable hotel is a few hours inland that won’t be impossible to reach in the bad weather. Even if you don’t plan an escape route, think about where you want to be and what you will want if you have to huddle in your house for a couple days without power. You don’t want to wait until the hurricane is closing in on the city to decide you need Snickers and magazines to survive the mayhem. Please stock up on your necessities well in advance.
4. Embrace the unavoidable. Natural disasters occur fairly regularly pretty much everywhere in the world. In the U.S., everyone knows that there are earthquakes on the west coast, tornadoes in the midwest, and hurricanes on the east coast. Obviously, these occurrences can be catastrophic, but there is nothing we can do to avoid them. We must simply mitigate the potential consequences the best that we can. We can do this by planning ahead, paying attention, and making good decisions. Are you ready?