Hurricane Season Preparedness for Homeowners and Businesses The 2021 Atlantic hurricane season is underway, and it’s shaping up to be another bad one.Homeowners and businesses should make sure they’re prepared for the worst.Hurricane Season Predictions and Trends The 2020 hurricane season was especially active.

According to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), there were 30 named storms, a record.Of those storms, 11 made landfall in the continental United States, 14 became hurricanes, and seven became major hurricanes.The 2021 hurricane season got an early start with Ana, a named storm that formed in May.

According to Bloomberg, this is seventh year in a row when named tropical systems have formed before June 1, what’s supposed to be the official start of the Atlantic hurricane season.NOAA’s Climate Prediction Center expects this to be another above-normal hurricane season.We’re expected to see 13 to 20 named storms, including six to 10 hurricanes.

Prepare Your Business and Home You might not get a lot of warning before a hurricane hits, so it’s important to prepare ahead of time to keep both people and property safe.Get Ready for a Storm If a storm is about to hit, you’ll need to take quick action.Be Ready to Evacuate If a storm comes your way, you may need to evacuate fast.

Make sure you’re ready.Don’t Forget about COVID If you have to evacuate, you may need to spend time in a shelter, and that could expose you to COVID-19.The CDC recommends getting the COVID-19 vaccine.

Include masks and hand sanitizer in your emergency supplies.Also, some emergency shelter operations may be impacted by the pandemic, so double check the plans in your area.Watch Out for Others If you know anyone who is elderly or has special needs, make sure that they are prepared for a hurricane.

Check in and see if there’s anything they need help with.And don’t forget about your pets.If you have to evacuate, make sure you’re ready to take your pets with you.

You’ll need food and other supplies for them.You’ll also need to make sure your destination is pet-friendly.Prepare for Business Interruption Businesses should have disaster plans.

For example, what steps need to be taken if the business has to close? How will communication occur? Who will be in charge of various tasks? How will recovery and return to work occur after the hurricane? See the Ready Business Hurricane Toolkit for detailed guidance.Employees should find out company policies regarding disasters.For example, how can they find out if the business is closing because of a hurricane? Who should they contact? Check Your Insurance Don’t wait until a hurricane forms.

Check your insurance now.The team at BNC Insurance is here to assist.Contact us if you have any questions or if you’d like to review your insurance.