Eight Tips for Surviving a Hurricane

We live in an area a good 250 miles from any coast. Getting through a hurricane has never been an issue before. The most we ever dealt with was medium winds and increased rain. In fact, where we live is where most people come to evacuate from hurricanes, but this time the equivalent of a Category 2 Hurricane came our way. And this is what we learned from our experience with Hurricane Helene. I’d like to share with you “Eight Keys for Surviving a Hurricane.” Now keep in mind that these eight keys are for those not told to evacuate. If you’ve been told or mandated to evacuate, please do so!

Neighbor helping neighbor is what saves lives. Our recent hurricane was unprecedented wreaking havoc, flooding, power outages, and trees on houses and blocking roads. Samaritan’s Purse was first on the scene helping many with their Black Hawk helicopters and volunteers, but it was neighborhood communities looking out for their own that saved many lives. Let me give you one example. An elderly couple we know who has served in ministry all their lives barely survived when their neighborhood of 31 homes which had never flooded, forced them into holding their dogs and cats in several homes with water up to their chests. There was a video on the news taken in a home when they realize they must get to higher ground. Fortunately, the neighbors on the street above them were checking to see who they could help. The young men with paddle boards and kayaks set out to save those unable to cross the creek that had become a raging river. The other neighbors formed a human chain and safely passed each of the neighbors and their pets to higher ground. By the time any government or volunteer agency could have reached these folks, it would have been too late. And these stories of neighbors checking on and helping neighbors were the rule of this storm. In my own neighborhood, men were driving around on golf carts checking to see which neighbors needed help. By the end of the day, all of our roads and driveways were clear allowing access to our neighborhood and people to get out. If we had waited for the Department of Transportation to clear all these trees with the impossible task they had on them, the power trucks could not have come through to give us power. The more we checked on neighbors, the more needs we saw to be met. People needed their insulin refrigerated. People needed power for heart monitoring and oxygen. With our resources, we could meet these needs. Never forget, we must always look after our neighbors because we may be the only ones who are close enough to help.

Cash is King. With so many power outages, most gas stations and grocery stores were not able to take credit or debit cards. It’s rare for people to take cash today, and we have become a cashless society. After a hurricane or natural disaster, cash may be the only thing that will suffice. So make sure you have ample cash before the storm.

Store food, water, and gas in advance and charge all electronics. It was shocking to finally get power and then after cleaning out refrigerators and freezers with spoiled food, we found grocery stores literally empty and gas stations closed. We learned from our friends impacted by Hurricane Hugo years ago who were cut off from fresh water, food, gas, and power for months, to store these items and always have them on hand. As a result, we have 10-five-gallon water jugs stored in our basement with a hand pump for service. We also have foods that store well in ample supply should they be needed. The day before the hurricane, we charged all our electronics and filled our gas containers. It’s also helpful to fill your bathtubs with water should you lose water supply for necessities such as flushing toilets. Once the power was out, we could communicate with our cell phones because they were charged. We were prepared.

A generator is a much-needed necessity. Some of our neighbors have Generacs which came in handy, but it helps to at least have a power generator to run your refrigerator and freezer off of. We were able to run both while occasionally unplugging one or the other to charge cell phones, use the microwave, and make coffee! We were even able to each take a warm bath with water stored in our hot water heater which eventually gave out. Neighbors with Generacs were opening their homes for hot showers and relief to those who needed it. Again, neighbors helping neighbors is key.

Upgrade your Iphone to access satellites should you have no cell reception. I’ve heard people say that the hardest thing to lose during this storm was communication with others. If you have an iPhone 14 or newer, please upgrade to iOS 18. If cell service is degraded or damaged by the storm, you can use your iPhone to send messages via Satellite in an emergency. My son taught me this as he loves to camp in the wilderness but he knows how to access a satellite if he has no cell reception. We can’t be rescued if no one knows where we are and that we need help. Helicopters were also dropping Star Links donated by Elon Musk which gave people the ability to communicate when many cell towers were destroyed. Thanks to Elon Musk.

Look at what you can do to help. I’m so impressed with all the volunteers who rushed to help those in the most destitute areas. Samaritan’s Purse as I mentioned was first on the scene after neighbors, with their trained volunteers. My friends in Boone told me that with their headquarters being in Boone which also had power outages and damage everywhere, Samaritans Purse’s people left their own homes in disrepair to go out and serve those in more desperate situations. Nothing stopped them from their mission. I was ten days out from surgery when Helene came through so lifting and clearing brush were not possible for me. We may not all be able to do the heavy work, but we can all do something. We can give to those organizations such as Samaritan’s Purse, Southern Baptist Disaster Relief, and churches who are involved. We can give directly to those we know who lost everything. Keep in mind that most of the people in NC did not have flood insurance because they were not in flood-prone areas.

Keep your faith in the midst of the storm. The Bible clearly tells us many times that God is with us in the storms of life. It’s important to remember that in the midst of the chaos and to look for the silver linings even in the middle of devastating damage. Keeping that eternal perspective helps to keep us balanced. Stuff can be replaced, making it out alive is the most important thing.

And this one is for those who know they are in flood-prone areas:

Gather value info and needed items. It’s best to put valuables and precious keepsakes on the highest floors and shelves. Before the storm, it’s advisable to pack important papers, cash (remember cash is king), flashlights, batteries and stored energy backups, medications, a change of clothes, and shoes in waterproof bags. Also, place your cell phone and other electronics in a waterproof bag that you buy ahead of time. You will need that cell phone more than you can imagine. Have this emergency backpack ready to go the night before in the event you must exit quickly. Better safe than sorry. Also, always know the safest route to higher ground. Plan that escape route in advance. No time for mistakes when time is short as it was for some folks in western NC.

Being prepared ahead of any storm is key to surviving it, but looking after our neighbors is the best way to save lives. The government and relief workers cannot be where all of us are. They have their part to do, but so do we. It takes a community to survive and rebuild a community. Everybody can’t do everything, but everybody can do something.

What tips can you offer for surviving a hurricane or natural disaster?

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Eight Tips for Surviving a Hurricane

For Your Health and Safety,

Ginny

Ginny Dent Brant is a speaker and writer who grew up in the halls of power in Washington, DC. She has battled cancer, ministered around the world, and served on the front lines of American culture as a counselor, educator, wellness advocate, and adjunct professor. Brant’s award-winning book, Finding True Freedom: From the White House to the World, was endorsed by Chuck Colson and featured in many TV and media interviews. Unleash Your God-Given Healing: Eight Steps to Prevent and Survive Cancer was released in May 2020 after her journey with cancer and was recently awarded the First Place Golden Scrolls Award for Memoirs, a finalist in Serious Writers Book of the Decade, and Second Place in both Selah Awards for Memoirs and Director’s Choice Award for Nonfiction at the Blue Ridge Mountain Christian Writer’s Conference. It recently received the Christian Authors Network’s (CAN) Gold Award for Excellence in Marketing for reaching 62.5 million people with a message of cancer prevention and survival. It was written with commentary from an oncologist and was featured on CBN’s Healthy Living Show, Atlanta Live, and CTN’s Homekeepers along with over 75 media outlets. Learn more and cancer and wellness prevention blog and book information at www.ginnybrant.com. Ginny is on YouTube