With Hurricane Matthew churning a little too close for comfort, we hope everyone is prepared just in case the storm reaches our backyards. By now, you should be stocked up on supplies, have all your outdoor things moved inside and you should have a plan in place.
Here’s what the watches and warnings mean:
- Tropical Storm Watch means tropical storm conditions with sustained winds of 39 to 73 mph are possible within 48 hours.
- Tropical Storm Warning means tropical storm conditions with sustained winds of 39 to 73 mph are expected within 36 hours.
- Hurricane Watch means hurricane conditions with sustained winds of 74 mph or higher are possible within 48 hours.
- Hurricane Warning means hurricane conditions with sustained winds of 74 mph or higher are expected within 36 hours in advance of the onset of tropical-storm force winds.
AS OF THE 11 PM ADVISORY, MIAMI DADE COUNTY IS UNDER A TROPICAL STORM WARNING .
Some other things to keep in mind:
- Have enough water for each person in your household
- Charge all cell phones and keep a corded phone handy
- Take some cash out from the bank
- Make sure to fill all your cars up with gas and get enough fuel to power generators and other gas-powered tools
- Be sure to protect your electronics with power surge protectors
- Don’t forget your pets- make sure you have enough food and water for them as well
- If you own a boat, use double lines at a marina, or consider dry-dock storage
During the storm, stay in a “safe room” ( a room with no windows or doors) and monitor your tv or radio for instructions from public safety officials. If you lose power, turn off all major appliances. Instead of candles, use flashlights as your light source. Make sure pets are inside with you.
After the storm, stay inside until authorities have given the all clear. Don’t drive or walk through standing water. Stay away from downed power lines and report them to FPL.
Some important phone numbers:
- 3-1-1: Government Information
- FPL: 1-800-4-OUTAGE
- 9-1-1: Emergencies
Let’s keep watching the storm and see what path it decides to take. The key is being prepared. Whether Matthew grazes past us with tropical storm force winds or unleashes it’s stronger hurricane force winds, be prepared, stay safe and keep listening to our public officials…we’ll get through it. It’s part of the trade off we get for living in such a beautiful tropical paradise! Now, it’s time to get our Hurricane Party started…
