Staying safe during hurricane season

We’re in the busiest part of the hurricane season and storms are brewing from one side of the tropics to the other. Now is a good time to check your preparations and make sure you’re ready for the next couple of months.

The peak of hurricane season stretches from August to mid-October, with the statistical peak around Sept. 10. About 78 percent of named tropical systems form during this time, along with 87 percent of Category 1 and 2 hurricanes and 96 percent of major hurricanes of Category 3 or 4 strength, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.

Here are 10 things to check now so you’re not caught off guard.

1. Check those shutters

Know how you’re going to protect your windows. Have shutters in place ready to put up if a hurricane watch issued. If not, have enough plywood stored away to cover them. Never tape up your windows.

2. Prepare and protect your pool

Test to see how much water is

able to drain from your pool drains as quickly as possible. Try using a garden hose to see how fast it drains, making sure that the water drains quickly. Get rid of any grass or dirt that may block off the drain. Never fully drain the pool as that may cause more structural damage during a hurricane.

3. How’s your emergency kit?

Make sure you have a seven-day supply of medications, a basic first aid kit, flashlights and extra batteries. Purchase a battery-operated radio so you can hear emergency orders from local officials if internet and electricity are out.

4. Check your pantry

Prepare at least three days worth of canned, nonperishable food and water. Remember that each person in your household needs about a gallon of water per day. Grocery stores usually run low on these items in the days before a storm is projected to strike, so now is the time to make sure they are in the house.

5. Plan an evacuation route

Not everyone needs to evacuate during a hurricane, but if you live in certain areas in South Florida — especially in sub-standard housing, mobile homes or along the coast — you may be under mandatory evacuations if a hurricane is bearing down on your area. Check the evacuation orders and routes for each of the three counties here:

■ Palm Beach County ■ Broward County

■ Miami Dade County

6. Have gas in your car

Although gassing up is mostly important in the days before a hurricane strikes, it’s still a good idea to keep your car’s gas tank filled since some storms spring up with very little warning. Gas stations often run dry, making an evacuation difficult if you haven’t fueled up ahead of time. 7. Trim vulnerable trees and shrubs

Make sure to trim any trees or weak branches that could hit your home or surrounding buildings and take remove items from your yard that could become a projectile if lifted by hurricane-force winds.

8. Re-enforce your home

Check for any cracks in your walls, windows, doors or roof that could could be cause more wind damage to your home. Repair or replace missing or cracked roof tiles.

9. Double-check your insurance

Not all homeowners’ insurance covers flooding during a hurricane. Check your policy — if it doesn’t have that coverage, find one that does.

10. Safeguard important documents

Seal all important documents — including cash and credit cards, government IDs, insurance paperwork, and family heirlooms in a water-proof box.

AP This Sept. 12 image provided by NOAA shows the formation of Tropical Storm Sally. The storm dumped historic amounts of rain on the northern Gulf Coast, killing at least one person.