The hurricane season runs for six months, from June through November, and can produce more than a dozen named storms in any given year. While most hurricanes either fail to make landfall, hit other areas, or fail to gain significant destructive strength, the lessons learned from hurricanes in Florida show us that we must always be prepared.

Here are some things you can do today to prepare for the hurricane season:


. Pre-Register for a Pet - Friendly Shelter

· Refer to the evacuation maps at Disaster Preparedness Resources and Guides, and locate where you live and your evacuation zone. Determine if and when you would have to evacuate.

· Decide NOW where you would go if ordered to evacuate (friend, relative, hotel, out of the region). Only use shelters as a last resort. If you choose to go to a hotel or travel out of the region, you must leave early.

· Check your preparedness checklist and obtain any items you may need.

· Keep your home in good repair. Tack down loose roofing and siding, and trim dead or broken branches from trees.

· Make the minor improvements needed to increase your home's safety. Contact a licensed engineer, licensed contractor or architect to inspect your home for structural integrity.

· Make plans and purchase materials to protect your home before the threat of a storm (plywood, window protection, plastic sheeting, nails, etc.).

· Purchase a battery-powered weather alert radio.

· Inventory your property and store the list with insurance and title papers in a safe place, or send a copy to a relative out of the area. Using a video tape is an excellent way to inventory your home.

· Make sure your address is clearly marked on your home.

· Review your insurance policies now, whether you rent or own your home.While the strength of a hurricane is measured merely by the sustained wind speed, the dangers that hurricanes present include much more than wind damage. Hurricanes combine storm surge, high winds, heavy rains and tornadoes in a powerful and devastating combination.