Residents of the Gulf of Mexico and Atlantic coasts should be prepared for a hurricane before one threatens. Homeowners in hurricane danger areas should prepare their homes by either having sturdy hurricane shutters installed on all of their windows, or have plywood ready to cover windows. It should be at least 1/2 inch thick marine plywood, marked and cut to fit each window. In addition, it should be drilled with screw holes separated by 18 inches. Such preparations will make protecting windows quick and easy if a hurricane threatens.

Weak and dead tree limbs should be removed to keep them from becoming projectiles in hurricane force winds.