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Preventing Hurricane Damage |
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| 6/22/2005 |
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| There are no other storms like hurricanes on Earth. During a hurricane, homes, businesses, public buildings, and infrastructure may be damaged or destroyed by high winds and high waves. Debris can break windows and doors, allowing high winds and rain inside the home. Roads and bridges can be washed away by flash flooding, or can be blocked by debris.
Fortunately, there are a variety of measures that can be taken -- both at the individual and community levels -- to reduce your vulnerability to hurricane hazards:
- Ensure your family emergency plan and kit are up to date.
- Buy flood insurance to protect your belongings.
- Develop, adopt and enforce effective building codes and standards.
- Relocate homes and/or businesses out of known storm or tidal surge zones.
- Construction measures, such as the use of storm shutters over exposed glass, and the addition of hurricane straps to hold the roof of a structure to its walls and foundation, have proven highly effective in lowering damages when hurricanes strike.
- Have hurricane straps installed to more securely attach a structure's roof to its walls and foundation.
Timely warnings have greatly diminished hurricane fatalities in the United States. In spite of this, property damage continues to mount.
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