The Galveston County Daily News

When Mayor Lyda Ann Thomas called for the mandatory evacuation of Galveston Island on Thursday morning, Hurricane Ike was less than 72 hours away from making landfall. The storm surge arrived much sooner, cutting off roads and trapping people in their homes.

When the next hurricane heads this way, you may not have much time to get your things together at the last minute. The best advice? Starting June 1, prepare for a hurricane like you’re evacuating tomorrow.

1. Make sure your car is ready for a trip out of town. Keep the gas tank at least half full at all times during hurricane season. Get an oil change and a tuneup. Make sure your tires are in good shape. Buy a car charger for your cell phone. You could be stuck in gridlock for hours.

2. Buy a plastic tote and fill it with important papers and current insurance records, photo albums, receipts of valuable items in your house, prescriptions, cash (ATMs may not work), extra pet food, snacks for the road and empty water bottles that can be easily filled in the event of an evacuation. At the beginning of hurricane season, place the tote near your front door or garage so you can grab it and go. Tape a checklist on top of the tote. List all the items that you must take, and all the tasks you must do, before evacuating.

3. Hurricane-proof your home. When preparing to evacuate, shut off the water and electrical breakers. After Hurricane Ike, houses that might have been spared heavy flood damage caught fire when the electricity was restored. If possible, keep enough plywood in your garage or closet to board up your windows. Label the plywood with markings that correspond to each window so the plywood can be easily nailed up in a hurry. Unplug radios, TVs and toasters.

4. Elevate your belongings. If you can’t take it with you, move it higher in your house.

5. Pack like you are going on a two-week vacation. Galveston didn’t allow people back to the island for 10 days. Pack enough clothing and medicines and be prepared to wait to come home.

6. Take photographs of your valuable items. If your home floods, the photographs will help you remember what you owned when you file an insurance claim.

7. Buy insurance. If you rent, buy renter’s insurance.

8. Before you leave, stuff all of your refrigerated food items in a plastic container and stick it in the refrigerator. Place a bowl of ice in the freezer. When you return, check the ice bowl. If the ice is still solid, the electricity likely didn’t go out, and the food is probably still good. If the ice is melted, the electricity went out and the food (and container) should be tossed in the trash. If you don’t have time to do this before evacuating, dump all your refrigerated items to the trash. The stench that awaits you otherwise is ghastly.

9. Arrange for pet care. If you are not planning on taking pets with you, make arrangements at the beginning of hurricane season to board them. Avoid leaving them at home.

10. Plan your evacuation route ahead of time. Keep maps in your car. Tell family members where you plan on going. Keep a list of phone numbers and addresses.