The best defense for a hurricane, as mentioned before, is preparedness. Before hurricane season arrives, you should know your evacuation route. This will save valuable time looking for it should you have to evacuate. Learn where local hurricane shelters are. Most likely, they are inland and inside a sturdy structure. Make sure you have non- perishable food in your house and 2 gallons of drinking water for each person, should you decide to ride out the storm, you are going to need it. Obtain plywood, batteries and flashlights now, because when the public gets word that the storm is going to hit, those are usually the first items to sell out. If local authorities tell you to leave, do so immediately! But if your are not instructed to evacuate, and you are going to say home and ride out the storm, here are some things you should do. Turn your refrigerator to maximum cold and only open it if absolutely necessary. Turn off your propane tanks and unplug all small appliances. Fill your bathtub with water for sanitary purposes. You are recommended to do all this because most likely, all utilities will be cut to your home, and these will come in handy when you don't have any power or water. Hurricanes are no laughing matter. Even a category one storm, should be dealt with like it were a category 4 or 5. Just use common sense and hopefully everything will turn out for the best.