It has often been said, “If you don’t like the weather, wait five minutes and it will change.” In the Jacksonville, Florida, area weather changes come about quickly. It can be bright, sunny and pleasant one minute, and five minutes later, storm clouds roll in suddenly with a tropical thunderstorm raging followed by a flash flood.
Be prepared! This famous scout motto rings true when it comes to home safety and security in Jacksonville, Florida. Every homeowner should have basic emergency supplies stored in their home for that sudden unexpected emergency.
There are many emergency kits available that are loaded with survival items complete with a radio and a first aid kit. These are very reasonably priced and are good to have on hand for an emergency. The Red Cross also has information available on how to put an emergency kit together. A handy NOAA weather radio with a hand crank and a battery backup can be purchased at most electronics stores and is a great item to keep on hand. In addition, wireless security systems for your Jacksonville home can keep your home secure at any time. SafeTouch Security Systems has locations in Jacksonville, Tallahassee, Orlando, and Tampa, Florida and Savannah, Georgia.
Before disaster comes
- Map out a disaster plan for your family and set up a “safe room” to take shelter in your home.
- Listen to NOAA weather broadcasts, and local weather broadcasts on the radio, TV, and on the Internet to keep abreast of upcoming alerts.
- If you are planning to be outdoors for a while, check the weather forecast before leaving. Keep an eye on the sky for any sudden changes.
- If severe weather threatens, prepare your family for what may come.
Tips for tornado/hurricane safety
- Find shelter in a safe place. A sturdy building, preferably in the basement near a wall. A safe room in the basement, or a storm shelter is best. In a home without a basement, an inside hallway is the safest place.
- Never try to outrun a tornado in a vehicle. Always get out and find a spot to lie flat as possible covering your head with your hands.
- If caught outdoors, never lie in a ditch or a low spot. Debris has a way of finding these spots, besides, during a heavy rain these areas will fill very quickly.
- Manufactured homes and trailers are extremely dangerous during these storms. Seek sturdy shelter before danger comes.
- It is a waste of time to open windows to equalize pressure. Seek safety first.
- Never take shelter under an overpass. During a powerful wind storm it becomes like a wind tunnel sucking pieces of debris right through it.
Tips for lightning safety
- Florida is famous for severe lightning during storms. If storms are in the forecast, cancel any outdoor plans.
- Find shelter being careful not to use a small shed, or stand under a tree, tower, tall object, or polls.
- If your hair is standing on end, crouch quickly in the position of a baseball catcher and plug your ears with your fingers to prevent your eardrums from exploding as lightning strikes
- A vehicle is a safe place to be during a lightning storm. If lightning should strike, be careful not to touch any metal.
Straight-line winds and severe thunderstorms
- Straight-line winds can be as high as 100-150 mph. If a thunderstorm has these hurricane force winds, seek shelter immediately.
- Move away from windows, and go immediately to a basement or inside hallway.
- Straight-line winds can toss a vehicle, send a person flying, or uproot a tall tree and send it through your house.
Tips for flash flood/flood safety
- 6 inches of water is all that is needed to knock a person off their feet. Do not walk through flooded water!
- Almost half of the fatalities during a flash flood involve someone driving a vehicle. Do not drive through flooded water! Most cars will float away in two feet of water.
- Never use electrical power tools in a flooded area.
- When camping in a river valley, move to higher ground during a thunderstorm with heavy rains.
- Flash floods are especially dangerous at night when it is hard to see flooded areas. Many deaths occur this way.
Large damaging hail
- Some hailstones have been known to be as large as softballs, or DVDs. People have been hurt or even killed by hailstones this size.
- If a storm is producing hailstones, seek immediate shelter away from windows.
- If you are in a vehicle during a hailstorm, seek sturdy shelter if you can do it safely, otherwise cover your head and crouch down until the danger has passed.
We have shown you how to keep yourself and those you love safe during severe weather. Another way that you can secure your home and keep your family safe is by installing wireless home security systems in your Jacksonville area home. Our experts at SafeTouch Security Systems have provided reliable home security installation and monitoring for over 20 years.