CLAY COUNTY – You’ve decided to stay home or at one of the county’s five shelters. The winds are howling; rain is blowing sideways. All you can do is hold on, and I hope you’ve done everything in advance of one of Mother Nature’s greatest wraths.

Emergency management directors and meteorologists say surviving a tropical storm or hurricane is more about preparation than luck. Once it’s here, the key to riding it out is being smart and deliberate.

First, if you’ve been asked to evacuate, get out. But if you decide to stay, at least take as many precautions as possible. But be aware: once the storm is here, help will probably be limited.

“We have certain points built into the hurricane response plan that indicate when wind speeds reach certain capacities, we’re going to stop responses,” Clay County Fire Rescue Chief Lorin Mock said. “We have wind monitors in place at stations to track that.”

The same goes for the four electric companies that service county residents. Downed trees and flooded roadways also could affect response times.

But that should be expected during an emergency.

Before the storm, some things should be done to reduce property damage and the chance of injury, like covering windows with plywood or impact-resistant materials to reduce the likelihood of broken glass. Also, put away flower pots, chairs, garbage cans, grills, tables, flags, or anything else that can become airborne in high winds.

According to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, always pay attention to local emergency managers as a hurricane approaches and follow evacuation orders when they are issued. Help is scarce during and following a hurricane, so preparation for and awareness of evacuation orders are vital.

If your local area is under a hurricane warning:

• Be prepared to shelter in an interior portion of your home. Get as far away from windows and doors as possible. The more walls you can put between you and the outside, the better. 

• Never go outside during the calm period when the eye of the storm passes. The eyewall is the most dangerous part of a hurricane and can come on suddenly. 

• Stay out of flooded areas. Just six inches of water can knock an adult off their feet and flood waters can carry disease. 

• Keep your battery-operated radio and a flashlight or camping lantern nearby. You will need them. Listen to EAS, NOAA Weather Radio or local alerting systems for current emergency information and instructions regarding flooding.

• Don't tape windows or open a window on the opposite side of the house from the direction of the wind. Stay away from windows and don't burn candles during the storm.

If you are in your car, stay there, especially if you are trapped in rapidly moving water. If the water is rising inside the vehicle, get to the roof. Also, stay off bridges because fast-moving water can wash away bridges without warning.

If you decide to evacuate to one of the five shelters in the county, residents with special needs, including those living in skilled nursing or assisted living care or with life-sustaining medical equipment, should register with the Special Needs Registry through the Clay County Emergency Management, and the agency will notify you in advance where to go.  Others have used Clay, Orange Park, Keystone Heights highs and Wilkinson Elementary in the past. The shelters at Orange Park and Keystone Heights have allowed pets.