BigDavyG

And above all...

DON'T PANIC

clydegirl

Get all your important papers together in a safe box.
Bank info
Insurance
Home mortgage papers
USCIS documents
Anything you value .

TouristTrap

Snort. T'ain't me!

Just got to live with the fact that wherever you live in the US you're going to have to deal with something or other weatherwise.

Whether it is 120F and all your power goes off, to blizzards, hurricanes or tornadoes, there is nowhere really safe.

TouristTrap

But they're not as big as the ones you have up your way.

vegas

The state which has the highest number of tornadoes per unit area is Florida, although most of the tornadoes in Florida are weak tornadoes of F0 or F1 intensity. A number of Florida's tornadoes occur along the edge of Hurricanes. The state with the highest number of stronger tornadoes per unit area is Oklahoma. The neighboring state of Kansas is another particularly notorious tornado state

lolly

I thought Florida was known as tornado alley

TouristTrap

Tornado alley stretches from Texas all the way up the midwest.

anotherlimey

I'm glad not to have a generator; a few days without TV and a/c can be quite a luxury

snowbunny

Make copies of these and keep them in a safety deposit box at a BANK, not a storage unit.

Get a small waterproof safe to keep them at home.

If a hurricane takes off the roof, there's not a lot you can do about it. There have been lots of great suggestions and there's probably a hurricane readiness site out there for your area.

Learn from Katrina:

1) don't stay home. you'll be stranded if you stay, the emergency services won't be able to reach you and they'll be strained as it is, and if you make a dash for it last minute, you'll be stuck in traffic in a car that doesn't float well.

2) this year there ought to be much better lists available of inland shelters. Pick one that's not too large but not too small -- in fact, pick a couple. If you don't want to do a shelter, likewise choose a hotel and make reservations the minute your area becomes a possible target. You can usually cancel US hotel reservations up to 6 pm of the night of checkin, but of course, verify this.

3) make sure the shelter or hotel is willing to house pets, if you have them.

As a general precaution, label everything of value in your home with an identifying number -- driver's license works well. This helps protect against thieves as well as looters.

I lived on the Gulf Coast for 18 years -- it's just part of life there.

snowbunny

We are at the southern end; it stretches up the Great Plains and then east to Ohio. Rather big area. Anywhere that lacks topography that would break up a tornado (eg mountains) is going to be vulnerable. We had F5's here a few years back that ripped blades of grass out of the ground.

Manc

I am yet to have to hide in a basement or throw chipboard over my windows during a blizzard

BigDavyG

That's right - you've only had to do that in the past when you've been in detroit and it had nowt to do with the weather

Ray

Well in 10 years here ...storms damage has totalled $20 ..on my gaffe
If your going to live in Florida .. North of Tampa is safer ....

TouristTrap

Touchwood, not a penny yet. Hope my luck holds.

User Name

Ahhh, the previous NO method. (New Orleans).