While the whole south eastern seaboard braces every year for the "Big One", we here on the Space Coast have been blessed to have fewer of those. Although we "skid by" most of the time, we still get our share of rough storms that we must be ready for.

I've been on this coast for 7 years and have seen back to back hurricanes in 2 of those years. As a boat owner and live aboard primarily, we've taken several days to prep our "home on the water" to protect it the best we could for the pending storm. Now that we have a house and the boat here, we'll be working overtime this season if the situation arises. On a side note, there are many homes that are over 100 yrs old proving that this area doesn't see as many direct Cat 3-5 hits and is a safe place to live. Also, we saw a reduction in our boat insurance when we moved it here from the St Johns River which was very pleasantly surprising to us.

There are many great resources including seasoned neighbors to help you plan your preparations for an impending storms and here are a few to check out:

https://www.noaa.gov/hurricane-prep

www.ready.gov/hurricanes

https://www.redcross.org/get-help/how-to-prepare-for-emergencies/types-of-emergencies/hurricane.html

A great organization to donate money, time, or items to if your property isn't in harms way:

www.samaritanspurse.org/donation-item/hurrican-relief-general/

The main thing is that first and foremost, your family's safety is number 1. If you live beachside, be sure to plan your departure far enough in advance. Get your lodging whether with family, friends, or hotel confirmed well in advance so all you really have to focus on is packing, securing your home and possessions.

If you do have a boat and have the ability to pull her and store her on land, many insurance companies will help with the cost. Rising waters can cause damage if the boats lines aren't either secure or are too tight. We had this happen as the surge was more than we anticipated therefore our lines didn't give our boat the ability to ride the winds like they should've. If you need to keep your boat in the water, work together and be in contact with your dock mates. We all love our boats and are always willing to give a helping hand to older boaters and those who must be out of town. Since we lived onboard, we did what we could then after we had to leave, our dock mates and marina made sure our and others' boats were as safe as possible.

Lastly, if you're new to this weather condition, like those of us from the snowy north, don't panic and don't worry. Just like in a blizzard, there's prep, endurance, then clean up. All of us are in this storm together each time. Check in on your neighbors and give a helping hand. We'll get through this season even if it's a tough one because we all get it and we care. 

Be safe out there!