Orlando Sentinel
Editorial
May 31, 2011
Images from recent deadly tornadoes in the Midwest are truly heartbreaking — but they should serve as a timely reminder for Floridians.
The people in Missouri and Oklahoma and elsewhere didn’t get a lot of warning before the killer tornadoes came roaring through. People have no time to get their homes properly protected and little time to be sure all family members are in a safe place. Not time to really do anything except hope you are not in the twister’s path.
A horrible tragedy, for way too many families. And a reminder that with the opening of hurricane season just ahead, we have the good fortune of time to properly prepare for what could happen.
To an extent, we actually have months to prepare, since the peak of hurricane season isn’t normally until the middle of August. If a storm heads our way, there are still usually days to prepare, particularly with the excellent forecasting accuracy for location and strength that we’ve seen in recent years.
Floridians would be well served to take advantage of the gift of time. The start of the season is a good time to make sure preparations for your home have been taken care of — shutters, garage door, roof, landscaping.
Just as critically, review your insurance policy. Know what you are covered for, and what your deductible may be.
As the summer wears on, there is usually time to make sure you have provisions on hand in case of storm — things like bottled water, canned goods, propane, batteries. And you have a chance to make sure your important papers are in a safe, dry place.
And, every day, weather forecasters let us know if a storm is forming even thousands of miles away, just so we’ll know to keep an eye on things. Even a couple of days out, the “cone of error” will let us know where a storm is likely to strike.
So we’ll have proper warnings. And a chance to be well prepared. But it is important to start now, while there’s time.
http://www.orlandosentinel.com/news/opinion/os-ed-hurricane-season-053111-20110527,0,3382437.story
