Swoosh, crack, thud! You look around and part of your roof just caved in. It’s the beginning of hurricane season.

Meteorologists can only predict so much; they’ve just barely begun to tap into what makes a hurricane so intense.

So what can we do?

The only thing we can do. We prepare for anything and everything.

There are many things we can do to take care of ourselves and the people around us ahead of time. For instance, we can get all the necessary supplies. Most hurricane approved checklists will tell you to have enough supplies for at least 3 weeks.

Among those supplies should be food, water, and medication (for anybody with disorders or illnesses). Also, everything in your homes should be secure and/or stored away. Any loose plants or harmful items that can be blown around by wind should be dealt with accordingly.

Another hurricane must is to make any prearrangements for evacuation. You should know when you need to evacuate and where your nearest hurricane shelter is. Varela is a shelter and evacuees are placed on the first floor inside the hallways to stay away from windows.

“Evacuating at the last minute makes preparing more stressful,” said senior Lis Padro. “You should always make arrangements beforehand to be as safe and prepared as possible. Always have the basics like food and water, and more.”

Not only do you have to watch out for yourself and your family, but pets as well. According to Varela vet academy teacher, Ms. Yleana Escobar, pets should have prearrangements as well.

“Pet owners cannot leave their animals at home alone. They should be taken care of just like you would any human. There are shelters that you can evacuate to in this event, but most only accept prearrangements, so make them as soon as possible.”

There has already been 1 major hurricane this season and that’s the dreaded Hurricane Dean that struck the Gulf Atlantic.

Hurricane Dean made its way through the Atlantic and struck hardest in the Gulf. It claimed nearly 42 lives and caused the Caribbean and Gulf $3.8 billion in damages. Floridians now can be considered lucky, but will we be able to evade these storms any longer?

“I think it’s inevitable that within the next few seasons we may have disaster knocking on our door,” said Padro. “And we have to be ready for it when it does.”

For a complete hurricane guide with supply checklist and pet checklist visit www.miamidade.gov, search: hurricane checklist.