How to stay for Milton — if you’re going to stay

This is not a story encouraging people in low-lying areas to ride out Milton. If you’re told to leave, leave.In Pinellas, that means those in evacuation zones A, B and C — more than half the county’s residents — can stop reading. For people in Hillsborough County zones A and B: Hit the road.But if you’re one of the hundreds of thousands who haven’t been instructed by authorities to leave, and you’re hunkering down, here are 11 tips on how to do so safely and effectively.Portable generators are extremely handy in a storm. But proper use is essential. The Federal Emergency Management Agency says generators “should be used outdoors and at least 20 feet from windows, doors and attached garages.” Keep the machines dry.Generators run on gas, so if kept inside, they will emit carbon monoxide — a deadly gas.Use battery-powered electronic devices to see at night. No candles.Make sure your electric vehicle is away from any potential floodwater. Lithium-ion batteries and saltwater make for an extremely dangerous combination.If you evacuate from a flood-prone home, turn off the main power breaker. If you’re staying, no need to turn off the gas. Gas systems come with a fail-safe .Among the essentials that will make your hunkering much more tolerable:- A bathtub full of water you can use to flush your toilets — if that’s allowed - Hand soap - First-aid kit - Portable camping stove - Battery-powered flashlightsWe ran down the rest of the ideal hurricane kit here .Wind and rain can get in through windows that aren’t sufficiently braced for a major storm. That’s why so many homes around the Tampa Bay region have plywood or hurricane shutters on their windows.If you have materials to cover your windows, it’s not too late to prepare your home. If the storm gets inside, it can cause major damage.There’s enough debris around Tampa Bay from Helene . Don’t add your outside plants or patio furniture to the list of items that could turn into projectiles in Milton’s devastating wind.Living in a space with no power and potentially no ability to flush toilets can start to feel kind of gross. Cleaning dishes and taking out the trash before the storm hits can make things a bit more tolerable once the outages set in.Major wind events like Hurricane Milton can cause damage even to homes in non-evacuation zones. Take a picture of your property so you can document any claims that need to be filed with insurance companies after the fact.Important personal documents, keepsakes and mementos could be victims of the storm if the worst should happen. Be sure to keep personal treasures organized ahead of the storm so you can grab them at a moment’s notice. (Our online hurricane guide recommends storing them in a waterproof folder.)If you need to write things down, do so with a pencil and paper. You’re going to need your cellphone to let loved ones know you’re OK — or to call for help.If you have a car, fill its gas tank as much as possible before the storm hits. You might need your car to recharge your phone.During or after the storm, don’t get curious about floodwater. It’s nasty and often contaminated.If your home unexpectedly floods during the hurricane, try to retreat to its highest point. However, FEMA urges people not to retreat to closed attics .If the wind invades your home through a window, seek shelter in an interior room without windows if possible. Be ready to cover your head to protect yourself from debris — particularly if you hear the sound of snapping tree limbs.If your neighbors decide to leave and you decide to stay, offer to tell them how their house fared in the storm. Small acts of kindness matter a lot in times like these.“You can get tense, you can get angry. Don’t,” said former St. Petersburg mayor Rick Baker at a news conference Sunday at St. Petersburg College. “Love your neighbor through this situation.” • • • 5 things to know about the 2024 hurricane season, according to forecasters. Forecasters predict ‘extremely active’ 2024 hurricane season. Here’s why. Could Tampa Bay flood insurance rise after a hurricane? A warning from Hurricane Ian Want to know what areas are flooding in Tampa Bay? Here’s where to look . Checklists for building all kinds of storm kits.

How to stay for Milton — if you’re going to stay

MORE FOR YOU

ONLY AVAILABLE FOR SUBSCRIBERS