When faced with an urgent evacuation due to a natural disaster—whether wildfire, hurricane, or flood—homeowners often have just minutes to act. In those moments, personal safety is paramount, but protecting your home from further harm or intrusion is also important. With years of experience assessing property vulnerabilities, I’ve outlined a few effective, time-sensitive measures homeowners can take to help secure their homes before evacuating.
1. Lock All Entry Points
It may sound basic, but under stress, it’s easy to overlook. Lock every exterior door, window, garage, and outbuilding. If possible, use deadbolts and reinforce sliding doors with a rod or dowel in the track to resist forced entry. Don’t forget attic access points.
2. Shut Off Utilities When Safe
If instructed by authorities and time permits, shut off gas, water, and electricity. This can help prevent fires, flooding, and electrical damage during and after the disaster. Familiarize yourself with how to safely turn off these services before an emergency occurs.
3. Document Your Home and Belongings
Take a few minutes to photograph or video each room, including major appliances, electronics, furniture, and valuables. Focus on serial numbers, model information, and receipts if available. Store this documentation in a secure cloud account or email it to yourself for easy access. This can make insurance claims much smoother in the event of damage or loss.
4. Move Valuables to Higher Ground
For flood-prone areas, elevate electronics, important documents, and irreplaceable valuables. Consider placing them in watertight containers and moving them to a second story or attic if accessible. In wildfire zones, store these items in a fire-resistant safe.
5. Unplug Electronics
Unplugging non-essential electronics reduces the risk of electrical surges, which are common during power outages and restoration efforts. This includes TVs, computers, microwaves, and small appliances.
6. Close Interior Doors
Closing doors within your home can slow the spread of fire and smoke, as well as minimize internal wind damage from storms. It’s a simple step that can make a difference.
7. Secure Outdoor Items
Bring in or anchor outdoor furniture, grills, tools, and toys. Loose items can become dangerous projectiles in high winds, damaging your home or others nearby.
8. Leave a Light On
If power remains, leaving one light on inside and outside can deter looters and signal that the home is being monitored or may still be occupied.
9. Inform a Trusted Neighbor
If possible, alert a nearby neighbor or family member who isn’t evacuating. They may be able to check on your home or contact you in case of visible damage or suspicious activity.
Preparedness is Key
While no home can be made completely disaster-proof in a few minutes, small, intentional steps can mitigate loss and improve post-event recovery. Make a checklist in advance and practice these actions so that when time is short, you can act with speed and confidence.
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