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This Week is North Carolina’s Hurricane Preparedness Week for 2018
June 1 is the beginning of 2018’s hurricane season for North Carolina, but preparation starts now. Last year was one of the most active hurricane seasons on record in the US, producing six major hurricanes and two of the three costliest hurricanes in US history. UNC-Chapel Hill recognizes the importance of hurricane preparedness, recalling the campus impact from Hurricane Fran in 1996.

The Office of Emergency Management & Planning encourages each student, faculty, and staff member to read the hurricane preparedness information on the National Weather Service in Raleigh website.  The key to effective preparedness is knowing your local risks, developing a plan of action, and having a means of staying informed. Take advantage of our campus safety resources, registering for Alert Carolina, downloading the LiveSafe mobile app, and following the general safety tips, all accessible on our CarolinaSafe website.

The time to prepare is now!

All week long the National Weather Service will issue informative messages to help you prepare for the hurricane season. Today’s topic is strengthening your home.

If you plan to ride out the storm in your home, make sure it is in good repair and up to local hurricane building code specifications. Many of these retrofits do not cost much or take as long to do as you may think. Have the proper plywood, steel or aluminum panels to board up the windows and doors. Remember, the garage door is the most vulnerable part of the home, so it must be able to withstand the winds.

Here are some tips for preparing and strengthening your home for tropical storms and hurricanes:

  • Keep trees around hour home trimmed well before a storm to prevent damage from broken branches.
  • Shop now for tested and approved window coverings to put up when a hurricane approaches.
  • Bring loose outdoor items, such as patio furniture, inside. They can blow around and cause damage to homes.
  • Secure all doors on your property. Remember that garage doors are the usually the most vulnerable.
  • Move your car inside a garage or to another secure location.

For more information about strengthening your home, please visit FLASH.org.

Strengthening Your Home

For more information about hurricane preparedness, please visit the following websites:

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