Prep for Hurricanes: Storm Safety Checklist

If you're in the northeast, where hurricanes are rare, you're not going to find hurricane evacuation signs like this one. Some states have (or are adding) Hurricane Evacuation Zone Finders—like the one at nyc.gov—to municipal websites. Find out what your community's hurricane response plan is. Plan routes to a local shelter, register family members with special medical needs if required, and make plans for your pets.

NorthStar VETS (a 24-hour emergency vet hospital) in Robbinsville, New Jersey, tweeted that they "stayed open during Snowpocalypse, and will stay open to care for your pets when Irene comes to town." So, check with a local veterinary hospital or shelter if you need to.