When A Hurricane Is Headed for the Grand Strand
If a hurricane might be on its way to the Grand Strand and Myrtle Beach area, you’ll be monitoring the weather closely. Local news stations will have the latest updates and will be predicting the path of the hurricane, with limited success, of course.
Those who’ve lived here for years know that nothing is set in stone and that hurricanes can and do often change direction.
Usually, you have about a week before a hurricane has made its way to you from the time of the first warning.
So what is the first thing you need to do when a hurricane is headed your way?
Keep reading and we’ll tell you!
Activate Your Family Emergency and Hurricane Plan
You read that right.
If a hurricane is headed your way, the first thing to do it to activate your emergency and hurricane plan.
What do these look like?
They are written plans which detail many steps to take to get your family to safety and include things like
- evacuation destination
- what to bring in case of an evacuation
- important paperwork you’ll need
- where or how to transport your pet
- how to get your house ready for a hurricane
- how to get your business ready for a hurricane
and much more.
The important part of these plans is that you’ve done your homework BEFORE the threat of a hurricane reaches your area because if you don’t have a plan, and that happens, all bets are off to get supplies.
There will be an instantaneous shortage of sandbags, generators and hotel rooms, just a few things that are essential to having a safe and affordable hurricane plan.
Hurricane Supply Tip
Just a friendly tip; amazon sells sandbags and other hurricane supplies, so may we suggest you order items now, right now, and tuck those away for later?
Things to buy now, and tuck away in your hurricane supply kit include
- sandbags
- cleaning supplies
- toilet paper
- paper towels
- garbage bags
- water (1 gallon per person per day)
- mop and bucket
- hurricane candles and flashlights
- power banks
- extra bag of pet food
- extra propane tank for your outdoor grill
- first-aid kit
- generator
Every local outlet will be scrambling to have as many of these supplies on hand as possible, but each time a hurricane heads this way we hear of people missing out on sandbags and other items on this list as the supply lines dry up quickly.
Amazon and online purchasing should be done before the threat of a hurricane because supply lines will close for everyone.
Order now, don’t delay.
The Big One Is Coming, Now Prepare For That Hurricane Hit
If after a few days the weather pattern holds steady and it does look like a hurricane will make landfall or impact on the Grand Strand, or the area where you live, you will need to do many more things to get ready.
As a homeowner vs renter, you are the sole person in charge of your property. You will either need to hire someone to board up your house, or you will need to do it yourself. If you’d made a hurricane and family emergency plan, you will be all set and have these boards cut to size in your garage or storage shed waiting for you to board up your home.
If you failed to plan for this possibility, you will be hard-pressed to find boards at any home improvement store!
Don’t Be Scared, be Prepared!
The Grand Strand is growing! Over 1400 people are moving to our area every single month. Many are arriving here form places that don’t ever see hurricanes so there are a lot of people who do not know how to prepare.
We’ve created the 2019 South Carolina Hurricane Guide for Homeowners.
Please read, download and share! Tag a friend and prepare, just in case. It’s heartbreaking to see people panicked, afraid and just unprepared to either hunker down or evacuate without a plan and supplies. Being ill-prepared could cost them their lives.
Your safety is our business.