HURRICANE SAFETY TIPS

HURRICANE SAFETY TIPS
	Make sure you have a full tank of gas before a storm arrives.
	Store a crate in your trunk with emergency supplies: · a first aid kit · duct tape · jumper cables for a dead battery · one or two blankets · a flashlight · bottled water · some sealed, shelf-stable food (like energy bars) · some basic tools like a screwdriver and pliers · a couple of brightly colored cloths to tie on your rear-view mirror to signal for help if you need it
	Make sure you have a good spare tire.
	If you're evacuating, bring your (fully charged) cell phone.
	If you're evacuating or returning home after a hurricane, avoid driving through water. The average car can be swept off the road by as little as 12" of moving water. According to the National Hurricane Center, more than half of all hurricane deaths in the last 30 years have resulted from inland flooding. Of those deaths, one in four was someone who drowned in her car. Find an alternate route.
	If your vehicle stalls in deep water, you may need to restart the engine to make it to safety. Please know, however, that restarting may cause severe damage to your engine. If you can't restart your vehicle and you become trapped in rising water, IMMEDIATELY ABANDON IT FOR HIGHER GROUND. If you're unable to get out of the vehicle safely, call 911 or get help from a passerby or someone standing on higher ground.
	After you and your vehicle are out of deep water and in a safe area, depress your brakes slowly several times to help dry them out.

And remember, if you're evacuating an area and leaving your car behind, be sure it's not left in a low-lying area prone to flooding. Rising water can seep in and damage your vehicle.

Get your Emergency Loan before you need it

Most people apply for a loan when they need it, but there are good reasons to apply for one when you don't.

Getting a Home Equity Line Of Credit (HELOC) is somewhat simple under normal circumstances, but getting one when you are in a desperate situation may be next to impossible.

During our last hurricane season, many homes were stricken by the devastating effects of Hurricanes Katrina and Wilma and while insurance agencies made a great effort to rush adjusters to the affected areas and cut checks to homeowners as diligently as possible, many homeowners waited for months before getting a dime and many others, while lucky to get their payments right away, lacked the funds to pay for deductibles or pay in advance before being refunded by their insurance companies. After a natural disaster, insurance companies stop underwriting and banks stop generating loans pending thorough inspections of the home securing the loan.

But hurricanes are not the only reason why you would be denied for a loan that you may have been given under other circumstances. Losing your job may cause you to not qualify for a loan, but had you gotten it while you were still employed, the funds already available could keep you afloat while you find an alternate source of income.

This is why it is such a wonderful idea to have a HELOC in place before you need it. A HELOC is a loan secured by the value of your home, but it does not have to be used if you don't want to, much like a credit card in that sense. If you do not use the funds available, you do not pay interest and you do not make payments. You can just have the loan in place, available for when you do need it or want it.