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" The Threat: Each year there are 6 to 8 hurricanes, causing an average $5 billion in damage per season Where: Eastern and southern coastal states When: September is the cruelest  The most important thing to have in place for hurricane season is a plan to get out of town. Towboat captain and 22-year Coast Guard veteran Jeff Swiney has had multiple hurricanes hit his Lafayette, La., home, and he knows a thing or two about disaster evacuation. &amp;quot;You&amp;#039;ve got to have predetermined trigger points and then act on them,&amp;quot; he says. &amp;quot;Too many people wait until it&amp;#039;s too late, when the storm is overwhelming, and that&amp;#039;s when they get hurt.&amp;quot; Second only to the safety of your family should be the structural integrity of your home. The best time to build in hurricane protection is during new construction, when roof straps and permanent storm shutters can be added with little additional effort. But existing roofs can be retrofitted with gable end braces and temporary storm shutters can be cut to fit in a couple of hours. Don&amp;#039;t forget to bolster your garage as well, Swiney says\u2014he braces the entrance with diagonally placed 2 x 4s. &amp;quot;Garage doors are weak,&amp;quot; he says. &amp;quot;And if a hurricane-force wind gets inside, it will take your whole roof off.&amp;quot;  (Illustration by Merce Iglesias) "^^<http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema#string>
<http://www.popularmechanics.com/adventure/outdoors/tips/a6160/how-to-prepare-your-home-for-hurricanes/>