How to Prepare Your Yard for High Winds by Securing Potential Debris

04/14/2023

Why does it matter?

Your home is more likely to experience damage during a high-wind event if the area immediately around your home has objects that can be moved by the wind. If you have time, safely secure outdoor items or bring them inside (ex: furniture and other outdoor equipment on your patio or deck). Don't forget trash cans, grills, toys, and potted plants. Keep them from becoming flying objects. Also remove any debris like fallen tree branches.

What do I need to know?

• Secure outdoor furniture, grills, fire pits, playground equipment, toys, yard decorations, potted plants, or items like trash cans that you cannot move into a storage shed or garage. Attach them to decks or patios with ground anchors with cables or chains. Never bring unsafe items like propane tanks inside.
• In general, if an object can be safely stored indoors, bring it in. If not, it needs to be anchored where it is located outside. Nothing should be left unsecured as even the heaviest of objects can be moved by the high winds of a hurricane or tornado.

Where do I start?

• Walk around your yard and find anything that looks like it can be moved by high wind.
• Start to plan which items will be brought indoors or which items will be secured in place.

More Resources

• Use the outdoor inventory checklist to identify items in your yard that need to be secured.