Long Island is an island in southeast New York, just east of Manhattan. Just like other coastal areas of the northeast United States, it has a humid subtropical climate, with warm, humid summers and cool wet winters. It’s an island, and as such, is vulnerable to hurricanes.
According to the United States Landfalling Hurricane Probability Project, there is a 28% probability that Region 10 (which includes NY City and Long Island) will be hit with a tropical storm or hurricane in 2011. The normal probability is 15%. And they forecast that the chances are 99% that this same region will be hit in the next ten years by a major, devastating hurricane.
The state of New York wants to make sure that Long Island and its homes are hurricane ready. One of the major obstacles to overcome is public complacency. Only a third of current New York State coastal residents have ever experienced a major hurricane, and the last time a major hurricane hit, the Long Island area was mostly undeveloped. The next time a major hurricane hits, it will be impacting a highly developed and populated region. That means devastating effects, major damage, and cause heavy loss of life. Remember when Katrina hit New Orleans? Many people stayed in the city, even though urged to leave, and hurricane preparation was lackadaisical at best. The costs for damages of a major hurricane hitting the Long Island area is forecast to be almost 100 billion dollars. You could buy small countries for less than what it will cost to repair homes and property when a major hurricane hits Long Island.
Most people away from the coast believe that they are far enough inland to be safe from hurricanes. However, most of these inland residents don’t realize that they are in just as much danger as those who live right on the cost, and that their daily lives will be severely impacted for weeks or months
One of the best things that you can do to protect your home is to add hurricane shutters. Hurricane shutters covering the entrances and egresses of your home provides great protection from wind damage, prevents window breakage that can allow the rain inside and cause great pressure changes that destroy your home, and protects you from missile-impacts from debris thrown at high speed by the storm. Hurricane shutters are wind-rated and impact missile tested, and are much more effective than any type of temporary shutter you install when a storm is on the way. Also, temporary shutters are often not approved by your insurance company, depending on the type, and can void your coverage in case of damage.
Don’t believe because that Long Island hasn’t been hit by a hurricane in years that you are safe. This lessens your safety, in fact, and improves the odds, year by year, of a major hurricane hitting the area. It will happen, so protect your home and family today by adding hurricane shutters now to your home.
