Hurricane Preparedness in South Florida

Since 1994, Rack Electric has experienced an array of hurricane seasons. South Florida families should know that there are no set dates when hurricanes begin and end, but rather calculations that lead to when hurricanes are expected to start and stop in any given year. Hurricane season can also last a varying amount of time, with the season running anywhere from four to seven months.

Be even more prepared and learn about the stages of a hurricane here!

Even if there are clear blue skies and you’re enjoying the sun as a team of Rack Electric electricians are replacing some wiring in your home, you should still prepare a serious plan ahead of hurricane season. Family members and friends may not be with one another when disaster strikes, so knowing what to do can keep you and everyone you love safe and secure. Establish other safe spots aside from your home where people can retreat to meet up should anyone become separated. With a plan in place, you, your family, and your friends can all rest assured knowing everyone is safe.

As news begins to break about a developing storm system, you should take the liberty of preparing your home ahead of schedule. On the outside of your home, you should store all exterior furniture, decorations, basketball hoops, or anything else that can get loose and cause damage. Trees and bushes should be trimmed and maintained to stop branches from breaking off and causing damage. You should also close off window shutters to keep windows from being shattered by strong winds and debris.

Inside, you should make sure that everyone is kept away from windows at all times until the storm has completely passed. Gas and charcoal grills should be kept off while inside, as they can not only cause severe fires but also produce heavy amounts of suffocating carbon monoxide.

Long before a storm arrives, you should have a stockpile of supplies available and at the ready. These emergency supplies tend to fly off the shelves when a hurricane slowly inches closer and closer, so it’s better to buy everything in advance and store it all. Some vital supplies you should keep on hand include:

• Bottled Water
• First Aid Kits
• Non-Perishable Foods (canned meats and vegetables, jerky, granola, nuts, etc)
• Non-Prescription Drugs (pain relievers, fever reducers, antacids)
• Toilet Paper
• Flashlights
• Radios
• Batteries
• Cash
• Entertainment (Books, Board Games, Etc.)
• Thermal Blankets
• Emergency Ponchos

When hurricanes come through South Florida, their strong winds ravage trees and powerlines alike. This tends to cause power outages across the entire area, leaving thousands of people in the dark. They’re unable to watch television, cook on their stove, or even see without a flashlight. As the A/C unit shuts off, the air becomes stagnant and it gets incredibly hot and uncomfortable. This can last for a few days to a few weeks, depending on how much damage a storm caused.

Nobody wants to live like this, which makes our backup generator installation services essential for hurricane season. While you’re able to use a flashlight to see in the dark, nothing beats having all of your lights on and the A/C blowing cool air. With a Rack Electric installed standby generator, you’re able to power your entire home for roughly 3,000 hours of use, for upwards of 20 years if maintained properly. Backup generators kick in immediately after a power outage is detected. Once the power lines are restored, your utility power kicks in and the backup generator is turned off. Your family will continue to enjoy living their life throughout the duration of a hurricane as if nothing ever happened.