There are many things that you can do to prepare for a hurricane. Just because there isn't one heading your way, doesn't mean there is nothing you can do. Coastal areas along the Atlantic Ocean and Gulf of Mexico are at very high risk for being hit by a hurricane. There are two important reasons to make sure you have many of the preparations taken care of long before you might be hit by a hurricane. One, there may not be enough time to adequately prepare, and secondly there might not be enough supplies by the time a storm is on its way. Here are some simple preparations that can make a huge difference in case a storm hits you. The first preparations are to get any protective items that you may need for your house. Plywood is a great window covering to protect you from flying debris, and it stores away easily. This is one of the first things to sell out of at home improvement stores when there is a hurricane warning. If you think you may want power in case of an outage, power generators are also something that is hard to find during a coming storm. They are an expensive luxury, but many people go for weeks with no power after a big storm.

Next, you can list all of the nonperishable items you will need to survive for roughly 4 days. This includes water, canned food, a first aid kit and some cash. This is not much to store, and they are items you will really need in case of emergency. Other items that are good to stock are batteries, flashlights and candles. These nonperishable items should be stowed in an elevated dry place. You should check the contents of your items about once a year to ensure that none of the items are spoiled. When there is a hurricane warning you can gather other items that you think you may need, and not have worry about the basics.