I’ve never lived near water. What are some tips for me to be safe in a Clearwater apartment?

If you are from an inland area, moving so close to the ocean may seem a bit scary. Fear not! Living in a Clearwater apartment you won't be any less safe than you would while living between Kyle and Allen, South Dakota (the farthest away from an ocean that you can live in North America, in case you are interested).

If you aren't from the area, a big concern in moving to a Clearwater apartment might be hurricanes. As a native Floridian, I will again state: Fear not! Because Florida is so used to hurricanes, we build to withstand them. Some areas that don't generally get hurricanes are often not built to withstand hurricane wind, waves, or flooding. The closer you are to the beach, the stricter the building codes are. Since Hurricane Andrew hit in 1992, many building codes have become stricter to ensure safety during a hurricane. Newer construction will have been built to these stricter codes, so it will withstand higher winds. You can always ask your landlord when the property was built, how high above sea level it is, and what speed of winds it is built to withstand.

Of course, hurricanes can disrupt daily life. No matter how secure you Clearwater apartment is, you may still lose power if a hurricane barrels through. Hurricane season lasts from June through November. Not that hurricanes won't be knocking on your door this whole time, but this is the time when they are going to form, if they form at all. During this time, you may want to make sure that you have some batteries, flashlights, emergency radio, bottled water, and basic food supplies that can be eaten without power. And of course, if a hurricane is coming and you are advised to evacuate, do it!

Another concern that you may have if you aren't used to living near water might be water safety for you and your guests. If you don't know how to swim, it's never too late to learn! This goes double for any little people you may have living with you or visiting. Not only will you be near the ocean, most Clearwater apartments have pools, and you will need to keep an eye on any children that go near water. Most public pools, including community pools like the YMCA, will offer swimming lessons for children and adults.

With all this safety talk, you may be wondering how much fun living in an apartment in Clearwater will really be. Well, let me tell you – Clearwater is a great environment to live in! Living close to the beach gives you a place for swimming, tanning, walking, jogging, picnicking, surfing, sailing, and tons more. Clearwater also offers plenty to indoors and away from water, if you want to slowly adjust to the beach lifestyle.

These are the opinions of writers and not the opinions of RentTampaBay.com or any of our advertising partners.