It's peak hurricane season. How do I prepare for a hurricane in my apartment?

Lianna Norman, Palm Beach Post
·6 min read

Hurricane Idalia left hundreds of thousands of Floridians without power last week and flooded Gulf Coast towns from Tampa to Tallahassee. Now, in the peak of Florida's hurricane season, another major storm, Hurricane Lee, is churning in the Atlantic. And it isn't the only storm system forming in the Atlantic Basin right now.

With an above average 2023 hurricane season predicted, Floridians are wondering when another storm will hit the state and how strong it might be. But for those living in apartment complexes or a condominium community, hurricane prep can be confusing.

You likely have a sliding glass door that leads to a patio or balcony, which isn’t as easy to board up as windows on a single-family home. And you might not even know if your landlord or leasing office allows you to board up windows without permission.

From what to do about your windows, to what emergency supplies you should have on hand and where to park your car, here are some tips for how to prepare for a hurricane if you live in an apartment or condo.

Review your renters insurance policy before a hurricane hits

Aside from the obvious ways to physically prepare your apartment for any expected damage, there is an often-overlooked hurricane prep step that could save you money: reviewing your insurance policy.

Although landlords cover the cost to insure their building, any insurance they may have does not cover the renter’s personal property. Like home owners, renters also have to seek a flood insurance policy separate from their general renters insurance policy.

Familiarizing yourself with a few key things in your renters’ and/or flood insurance policies will help you understand what costs you are responsible for covering should your apartment or belongings be damaged. And documenting the condition of your home and most valuable possessions by taking photos and videos before the storm could make the process of filing a claim after the storm much easier.

To familiarize yourself with what your policy or policies do and don’t cover and if there are costs you might be responsible for covering after the storm, re-read the “Exclusions” and “Duties After Loss” sections of your renters’ or flood insurance policies.

Where is the safest place in an apartment during a hurricane?

According to a 2018 article on hurricane preparedness for apartment dwellers from FEMA, the safest room in your apartment is an interior bedroom, bathroom or hallway.

According to FEMA, you should “consider sheltering in an apartment on the lower level if you live on a higher floor.”

What should I stock up on before a hurricane?

Hurricane preparedness supplies needed for an apartment aren’t different from what you would need if you were hunkering down in a house. You need enough of each item in your hurricane survival kit to last you 10 days, if needed.

Here’s a list of what to stock your apartment with from Rent.com’s guide to apartment hurricane preparation:

  • Water (one gallon per day per person) in a jug or bottled water

  • Non-perishable food

  • Medications

  • Flashlight

  • First-aid kit

  • Battery operated radio

  • Rain gear

  • Baby supplies, if needed (diapers, wipes, blankets)

  • Pet supplies, if needed (water, food, leash)

  • Blankets

  • Personal documents in a water-proof safe or box, like your health insurance policies, renters insurance card, driver’s license and government documents

  • A cash emergency fund

Where is the best place to store my emergency supplies during a hurricane?

It might be hard to find a place to put your emergency supplies if you live in an apartment with limited storage.

If you can’t make space in the back of a closet, pantry or cabinet for your supplies, you can store them behind or under furniture and beds or in any furniture you might have with storage capabilities – like inside of a hollow ottoman or in a coffee table drawer.

Like in a house, you can use your bathtub to store extra water for washing hands and flushing toilets so that you don’t have to use drinking water for those needs.

FEMA suggests getting to know your neighbors

“It’s important to know who may need or can lend a helping hand in an emergency,” FEMA’s website says. “Residents will likely gather in communal areas, and working together helps everyone get through the emergency.”

Here are some FEMA-suggested ways you and your neighbors can help each other whether a hurricane in an apartment complex:

  • Establish an emergency fund or redirect money for maintenance fees to help cover items like generators and other emergency repairs in common areas.

  • Identify if you know a resident with an apartment that is safer to shelter in (has a lower risk of wind damage or flooding) than yours

  • Contact your building administration or residents’ association to check if there is a preparedness plan in place. The manager or condo board administers the by-laws, information and funds to manage the building, and should have a preparedness plan that could include:

    • Assigning captains to help share information and check on residents with special needs, gathering residents’ emergency contacts

    • Providing administration and management contacts for residents

    • Informing residents how access gates will operate in case of a power outage

    • Making a communications plan for residents in case phones are down

    • Ensuring the generator maintenance is up-to-date with extra supplies available (filter, oil, fuel) and scheduling waste pickups and sewer cleanups.

Should I board up my apartment’s windows before a hurricane?

According to FEMA, after bringing any outdoor furniture on your patio or balcony inside, you should try to board up your sliding glass doors.

“Get shutters or panels for your sliding glass doors and windows. Ask the building’s management or landlord if a specific style is required,” FEMA’s website says. “If you’re a renter, ask if your landlord provides them and who will put them up before the storm.”

Don't try to tape your windows, as this hurricane hack is just a myth and may make any shattered glass more dangerous than if the windows weren't taped.

What should I do with my car during a hurricane?

An apartment parking lot typically isn’t the safest place to keep a parked car during a hurricane. If there is a nearby place you can park your car where it will be safer from flooding or falling debris, like higher ground or in a garage, FEMA recommends that you move it there.

If you can't move your car to a different location and aren't evacuating, the safest place to keep your car is close to a building but away from any trees or powerlines, according to Autotrader.

Lianna Norman covers trending news in Palm Beach County for The Palm Beach Post. You can reach her at lnorman@pbpost.com. You can follow her reporting on social media @LiannaNorman on X.

This article originally appeared on Palm Beach Post: Here's how to prepare your apartment for the next hurricane