As hurricane season approaches officials, homeowners urge preparedness

TYBEE ISLAND, Ga. (WTOC) - Hurricane season is just days away, and many across the Southeast have experienced the devastation storms can leave behind.

One Tybee Island woman whose home suffered major storm damage is now urging others to prepare before it’s too late.

Lewis Avenue on Tybee Island is calm and quiet Tuesday. The roads are clear. But years ago during hurricane season, that was not the case.

"It was just murky, yucky, murky water,” said Teresa Whitten.

Teresa Whitten is talking about how floodwaters from Hurricane Irma flooded this neighborhood and many other parts of the Southeast.

“We lost everything downstairs — even Tupperware. I mean everything. The cabinets filled with water and mud,” said Whitten.

And it wasn’t the only time her home sustained damage. Whitten says during Hurricane Matthew, a tree crashed through her roof.

“I called my insurance company and got my roof repaired,” said Whitten.

Although the damage was eventually fixed, Whitten says the experience still impacts her today, and insurance experts are urging homeowners to prepare now before another storm hits.

“Being prepared now is going to prevent a world of hurt later,” said Whitten.

While on Lewis Avenue, the home next to Whitten’s is being lifted to help prevent future flooding.

If you can’t take steps like that, Alex Cary with the Insurance Institute for Business & Home Safety says there are other ways to prepare your home. That includes replacing weak roofs before storm season begins and trimming hanging tree limbs and dead branches so they are less likely to fall during high winds.

Cary also says homeowners should clean gutters and seal cracks around their homes to help prevent water from getting inside.

“When a hurricane is blowing, all that water is pressurized and it can really make its way in through a variety of different ways,” said Cary. “So making sure your home is watertight is another thing folks can do.”

Whitten is glad her home was never damaged but is still urging everyone to be prepared.