PREFACE........
For several days immediately following Hurricane Andrew making landfall in the south Miami area on August 24, 1992, I purchased copies of The Miami Herald. The numerous articles were very illuminating.

I say with all sincerity that The Miami Herald did a remarkable job of publishing a newspaper under very extreme conditions. The superb effort of the reporters was miraculous in getting the facts and getting them out to the rest of the Miami area....as well as the world. For its effort, The Miami Herald received the 1993 Pulitzer Prize for Meritorious Public Service....and in my humble opinion, that award was most richly deserved.

Of particular interest were the comments made by people as to what they needed NOW, what they lost in the way of personal property and what items were spared. For example.... one person stated that her washer was still intact, but that a family photo album was gone....forever.

From all this information, I developed for my family here in Florida a yet-to-be-tested way in which important personal items might be saved....or at least have a better chance of being saved. I have been asked by several people to share this plan with the public....and so here we are.


PREMISE........
By all means, be guided by the forecasted severity of the storm....whether it comes from knowledgeable weather people or from your local authorities. Some parts of the plan may not be appropriate for a Category 1 hurricane, but would definitely be prudent for a Category 5 storm.

As a reminder, the various categories are....

• Category 1.....winds of 74 to 95 mph
• Category 2.....winds of 96 to 110 mph
• Category 3.....winds of 111 to 130 mph
• Category 4.....winds of 131 to 155 mph
• Category 5.....winds greater than 155 mph

There are no guarantees that the plan will accomplish all of your needs. But, I think you will agree that many parts of the plan give your possessions a better chance of surviving.... and you a better chance of being able to take care of your needs following a severe storm.

For information concerning specific storms, please refer to....

• National Hurricane Center
• The Weather Channel
• Weatherman911 & Lou's Weather Watch

The underlying purpose of this Guide is to make you THINK. Think in terms of your home....without a roof....or doors....or windows. What possessions do you want or need to protect from strong winds and a massive amount of torrential rain. The sooner you think in these terms and plan accordingly, the better chance you have of protecting your possessions. It's called....doing your homework!