- Marking 40 years since one of the deadliest tornado outbreaks in North Carolina history
- On this day: Small NC town nearly leveled by devastating F4 tornado
- Outer Banks flooding and overwash closes NC 12, ferry on Ocracoke Island
- Cows at three Texas dairy farms have bird flu, another blow to Cattle Country following wildfires
- What we learned from the 2024 National Hurricane Conference
Bring your patio furniture inside! Items could become projectiles during a tropical storm
That’s the motto of longtime insurance adjuster Walter Nata who’s worked nearly every major hurricane or tornado for four decades. With Isaias bearing down on the Carolinas, ABC11 caught up with Nata to check out the kind of everyday things in the front and backyards that could become trouble in severe weather.
Types of generators: What to know about power generators before a blackout
“I’ll go back to Hurricane Fran,” Nata said. “‘OK we’re just going to have a little 70 mph wind.’ I’ve seen flying trash cans break windows. I’ve seen people’s clothes lines break windows the wind blows the poles out of the ground. I’ve seen that happen.”
What is storm surge and why is it dangerous?
Deck furniture, hoses, toys, flower pots, garbage and recycling cans, even sports equipment could be picked up by the wind and launched into a window. That can all be brought into the garage. If you’re tying them down, be sure to attach the item to something that is unwittingly secure.
Inside the house, Nata encourages residents to take an inventory of all items you want covered by insurance if they’re damaged or destroyed, including photos, art, furniture, books, appliances and electronics
“Anything you would want your insurance company to pay you for should be documented somewhere. When adjuster comes to your house, what you can show him goes a lot further than what you tell him.”
Copyright © 2020 WTVD-TV. All Rights Reserved.