Local company urges preparation, strengthening of your home this hurricane season
Hurricane season is fast approaching. During National Hurricane Preparedness Week (May 1-7, 2022), Bunnell-based hurricane shutter company, Smart Guard Shutters, urges Flagler County residents to take steps to prepare themselves and their families for hurricane season.
“Our company is founded on the principles of safety and the protection of our clients and their property. That’s why we are advising Flagler County residents to take the following steps, based on the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s (NOAA) recommendations,” said Kaleigh Rickard, owner of Smart Guard Shutters:
- First, residents should determine their personal hurricane risk and find out if they live in a hurricane evacuation zone. The Florida Division of Emergency Management has an Evacuation Zone Map that can help residents determine their zone by simply entering their address. (Flagler County Zone Map)
- Next, have an evacuation plan, which includes a “go bag” for supplies. Also, consider how and when gas tanks could be filled in advance of an emergency and know several evacuation routes. Be sure to have a plan for those precious pets.
- Inside your home, assemble a disaster supply kit. According to NOAA, have enough non-perishable food, water and medicine to last each person and animal in your family a minimum of 3 days. It is also wise to keep cash on hand in case you need to make a purchase while cash registers are down. You should also have a good stock of batteries and flashlights as well as other essentials like portable crank or solar-powered USB chargers for your cell phones and a battery-operated weather radio.
- Finally, NOAA urges residents to consider strengthening their home and rental properties, which includes hurricane shutters. NOAA wants everyone to remember that the garage door is the most vulnerable part of the home, so make sure yours is able to withstand the winds.
Smart Guard Shutters, located in Bunnell, FL, is a local family-owned hurricane shutter company. They offer many types of hurricane protection: Panels, Hurricane Fabric, Accordion Shutters, Rolling Shutters, Impact-Rated Bahama Shutters, and Colonial Shutters. Most of the shutters are manufactured locally at their warehouse. Richard Rickard, Owner of Smart Guard Shutters stated “Now that we have the ability to manufacture most of our shutters to custom dimensions at our warehouse, we are able to fulfill demand much easier and faster.” Smart Guard Shutters also keeps a stock of Aluminum and Clear Hurricane Panels in standard sizes and hardware at their warehouse/showroom at 7 Enterprise Dr., Bunnell, FL 32110.
For more information or to book a free estimate, call 386-227-6295 or visit smartguardshutters.com.
Renters should contact their landlord to make sure their home is prepared for hurricane season.
A final thought to make sure you are ready for this season get an Insurance Check-up. With the housing market and building costs on the rise, you should call your insurance agent to make sure you have enough insurance to repair or even replace your home and/or belongings. Remember, home and renters’ insurance doesn’t cover flooding, so you will need a separate policy for that.
Once you have your plan in place and the actions you need to take when a hurricane is on the approach write them down. Your written plan should include a contact list with at least one contact outside of the impact area, keep critical documents together for quick access, and share your plan with others in your family. It is much easier to think clearly when not under pressure. Being prepared before a hurricane threatens could mean the difference between being a hurricane victim or a hurricane survivor.
Sources
https://www.noaa.gov/hurricane-prep
About Smart Guard Shutters
Family owned and operated since 2018 and based in Flagler County, Florida, Smart Guard Shutters provides premier hurricane protection for Flagler, St. Johns and Volusia Counties. The team only installs and sells the finest hurricane protection products available. Treating each client like a part of the family, Smart Guard Shutters takes the utmost pride in its work and stands by everything it does. smartguardshutters.com