When hail storms strike, its extremely important to make sure that personal belongings (including yourself) are safe from the most violent parts of the storm. For personal safety reasons, its extremely important to take cover in a building, or, if driving, under an overpass. Hail protection is crucial. Hail can cause brutal injuries, and in many cases, can be fatal.
When trying to protect personal belongings, the first thing to consider is which objects can be stored inside. If there are fragile items in your lawn, think about storing them inside of a garage, house, storage shop, friend’s house, or in some other convenient location. The same applies for any object outside that you feel might be damaged by hail (which could be almost all of them). Protecting your car is also important; if a garage is not available to you, consider finding somewhere else to park your car for the duration of the storm. A friend’s garage, a parking garage for a local business or corporation, or a warehouse are all excellent examples of “hiding spots” where you and your car could wait out a strong storm. Many companies also sell shade canopies which can assist in hail protection. They can installed as fixed structures or swivel into place and hang over your car. When hail comes, they protect the car from the oncoming hail. If the size of the hail is too large, however, shade canopies are a poor choice as the hail may ruin the canopy and still get too the car. Seeking cover for your car is the safest way to guarantee no dents, however, if no shelter is available, laying items such as towels and old clothes will help to impact the dent of the hail. There are even stories of people tying old mattresses around cars to protect them!
When a brutal hail storm rolls around, its important to protect yourself and your belongings. With hail, however, often comes a variety of other storm conditions like lightening, rain, gusting winds, flash floods, and the possibility of tornados. Don’t ever endanger your personal safety for the protection of belongings, especially when other dangerous weather conditions are likely. Remember that personal possessions are always replacable, whereas people, are not. Be sure to stay informed and updated about severe storms in your area, and never try to do anything risky. The best thing you can do is prepare beforehand and wait out the worst of the storm in a sturdy shelter.