Preparing for a hurricane in college

Coming to college can be a shock to most. Moving away from family, setting up a life for yourself, and creating habits that will last a lifetime. Sometimes the craziness of college can be a lot and while adjusting to your new home, unexpected events can occur that you may not be prepared for. 

With being on the edge of the Atlantic Ocean, hurricanes season can hit the Charleston area abruptly and frequently. Hurricanes are one of natural disasters that Charleston faces on a yearly basis. There are a lot of unknowns about hurricanes, how they will hit, or what potential damage they could cause. But there are tricks to being prepared for anything during the season. 

Many times, hurricanes just bring a tremendous amount of rain and wind, however there is also a chance for tornadoes, fires, power outages, and floods. In this case, it is best to avoid windows and stay in an area that as little to no windows. This limits the amount of glass exposure that could potentially shatter and injure yourself or others. If there is a power outage or a stay-at-home lock down order given, you should prepare your area with certain items. Here is a list of what to grab when at the store:

• water, 
• non-perishable foods, 
• extra medications, 
• flashlights, 
• first-aid kit, 
• battery operated radios, 
• and rain gear. 

For flooding situations, it is best to get out of the area and take all essential items to a higher location. However, if you are unable to leave you can purchase sandbags or cat litter and place them around the open areas of the house. This is a temporary solution that will trap water from entering your property. More than likely, you will know of a potential hurricane coming well before it makes landfall. Make it a vital point to keep all technology charged constantly and have a way of hearing news network updates. It is also important to have an emergency evacuation plan or area to locate to in case of an evacuation was to occur. 

Brianna Parker is a graduate assistant for the department of marketing and communication. She is pursuing a masters degree in project management at Charleston Southern University.

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