Hurricane Ivan in September 2004 taught everyone on Grand Cayman at the time that you need to do more than put shutters or plywood over your windows and knock down the coconuts from the nearby trees to prepare for a hurricane.

A lot of valuable lessons in home preparation were learned after Ivan – lessons we have been able to put in practice for a couple of close calls like 2005’s Hurricane Emily and 2007’s Hurricane Dean.

There is no real way to make your home 100 per cent hurricane proof, short of living in a windowless bunker elevated at least 25 feet above sea level. But there are several things you can do to at least give your home a fighting chance against a hurricane.

Protect the windows

Despite the common practice, taping an ‘X’ on your windows doesn’t do much good. It doesn’t make your windows any stronger; it only helps contain some of the shattering if the window breaks.

Once a window breaks and hurricane force winds come rushing through your home, you will probably have more problems than just shattered glass.

Hurricane-resistant windows are great, but they can cost a small fortune. Most people are then left with two more economical solutions – hurricane shutters or plywood.

If you have the money, hurricane shutters – preferably the kind that are easy to deploy like accordion shutters – are the way to go. Just know that not all shutters are created equal and you generally get what you pay for. Thinner gauge aluminium shutters will not perform as well as ones that are thicker when tested by a major hurricane. If you live close to the sea or at a higher elevation, strongly consider the heavier gauge shutters.

If you can’t afford impact-resistant glass or hurricane shutters, putting plywood over your windows will also work.

It’s best to buy plywood in advance and store it in a dry place. Supplies seem to invariably run short when a hurricane approaches, and valuable preparation time can be lost fighting traffic and long lines at the building supply store.

If you have to go the plywood route, make sure you use proper screws – and have the right amount of them – to anchor the plywood to the side of your home. There are right ways and wrong ways to install plywood over your windows, and some ways could actually weaken your windows. There is a lot of information on the Internet on how to install them properly.

Protect your structure

If your home does not have hurricane straps on the rafter system, see about getting them retrofitted.

Clean your yard beforehand of anything lying loose that could become a projectile during a storm. Knock down any coconuts hanging from nearby trees.

If you have a double door, consider shoring it up with a brace to prevent the wind from blowing it in.
Deadbolt single doors and use other methods – like the old chair under the doorknob trick – to shore up its strength.

Make sure to seal any holes that could allow wind or water into your home.

There is a myth that suggests it is best to leave the windows on the leeward side of your house open, but it is just that: a myth. Seal all windows and doors tightly.

As many residents learned during Ivan, storm surge is a very real threat during a hurricane. Residents who took steps to reduce the ingress of water generally had their homes fare better than residents who did not.

If there are any openings in your home, water will find a way through them. Seal gaps in doors – especially near the bottom – with either silicone caulking or duct tape, or a combination of both. If possible, seal all doors from the outside.

Put duct tape over outside electrical outlets and dryer vents. If you can, put duct tape over eave vents.
During Ivan, many people experienced ceiling damage because of rain being blown horizontally through eave vents.

Flooded septic tanks caused toilets and sinks, especially on the ground floor, to back up and flood apartments. Turn off the water to your toilet, flush it and then bail out any remaining water. Then put a sand bag or two over the drain hole to prevent sewage and storm surge from back-flowing into your home.

Protect your belongings

Put your most valuable possessions up high, on top of cabinets, closet shelves and other permanent structures. Even in homes flooded by several feet of storm surge during Hurricane Ivan, items placed high generally survived, as long as the roof stayed on.

If you live in an area that was flooded by storm surge during Ivan, chances are it could be flooded again and you should take steps to protect your belongings. If you don’t know if your home flooded during Ivan, ask someone who lived in the area at the time.

If you live in a home that has more than one storey, consider taking valuable furniture and belongings upstairs for a hurricane. You can also raise other furniture you have to leave downstairs off the floor using cement blocks.

Cover items like beds, artwork, electronics and other things that can be damaged by water with plastic. Water coming through the ceiling damaged a lot of property during Ivan.

Also remember to unplug everything electrical in your house to protect it from surges due to lightning strikes.
Find high ground to park your car, even if it means walking back to your home. Make sure to do this well in advance of the storm’s start.

Protect yourself and loved ones

Ultimately, the safety of yourself and your family is what matters most.

Unless you are sure the structure you live in could sustain a major hurricane, do not stay there. Hurricanes can intensify very quickly in the warm water of the Western Caribbean, as we learned with Hurricane Wilma in 2005, which went from a Category 1 hurricane to a Category 5 hurricane in under 12 hours less than 200 miles south of Grand Cayman.

If you do stay at your home, stay alert so that you can act at a moment’s notice. Don’t participate in hurricane parties that feature alcohol as this could diminish your ability to act quickly and effectively in a time of crisis.

If the power goes off, flip the main breaker to your house to prevent power from coming back on when flooding might be present. Should storm surge flooding in your home start before the power goes out, turn off the breaker immediately.

If you are using kerosene lamps or candles for light, make sure they are properly situated to avoid the chance of fires. Do not use too many lamps or candles as all combustion creates carbon monoxide.

Never use a gasoline generator indoors – the amount of carbon monoxide it generates will almost always be lethal indoors.

During the storm, stay indoors until the all-clear is given. Do not venture outside if the eye of the storm passes overhead.

Once the storm starts, only leave your home if it is a matter of life and death. Do not leave your home for matters of comfort. If the roof blows off, stay in your home, preferably in the bathtub, and cover yourself with a mattress.

Be very careful when you venture outside after a storm, especially in there is standing water. Nails, glass and other sharp object could be under the surface of water and not visible to someone walking through it.

Lastly, do not drink water from the taps after a storm, it might be contaminated. Beware also of taking dogs outside near contaminated water, which killed a number of dogs after Ivan.

Make sure to have sufficient food and bottled water to last at least three days after the storm. Having a charcoal or propane gas grill can come in extremely handy after a storm, but under no circumstances should they be used indoors. 

Prepare your home

• Check battery-powered equipment (radio, cooking equipment, flashlights, etc.).
• Lower or secure TV and radio antennas.
• Fill car with gas. Make sure battery is in good condition.
• Check supply of emergency foods.
• Package valuables and important papers and keep them in waterproof containers.
• Check prescription drug supply.
• Make arrangements for safety of house pets and boats.
• Collect drinking water in plastic containers, cooking pots and/or bathtubs.
• Turn refrigerator/freezer to the coldest setting to preserve food as long as possible in case of a power failure.
• Keep swimming pool full to approximately 12 inches below the edge.
• Wedge sliding glass doors to prevent them from being lifted from their tracks.
• Brace garage door.
• Protect appliances and furniture by elevating them off floor level.
• Stay tuned to local radio and television stations for official weather statements and emergency instructions for specific areas.
• Buy buckets and cheap plastic drop-cloths for protecting furniture, mattresses, bookshelves and hardwood floors from leaking ceilings.
• Take lots of photos and videos. If digital, shoot low res so you can fit more on the disk.
• Take your screens off before the storm so they don’t blow off – imagine having no screens and no air conditioning, but lots of mosquitoes. You can put them back on after the storm.