Typhoon Season Prep for Military Renters on Guam

Hafa Adai! If you're new to Guam, one of the most important calendar items to understand is typhoon season. It runs June 1 through November 30 every year, with peak activity typically between August and October. Guam sits in one of the most active tropical cyclone regions in the world — the western Pacific averages roughly 25 named storms per year, and Guam is directly in the path.

The good news: Guam's building codes are among the strictest in U.S. territory, most homes are concrete construction, and the island infrastructure is built to withstand major storms. The 2023 Typhoon Mawar (Category 4 at landfall) tested that infrastructure hard, and while there was significant damage and power disruption, injuries and fatalities were low compared to what similar storms have caused elsewhere.

Your job as a military renter: know what your lease covers, prep your household, and understand the practical realities of riding out a storm on island. Here's the practical guide.

1. What Your Lease Should Cover

Before typhoon season starts, verify these items in your lease. If any are missing or unclear, get written clarification from your landlord.

• Backup generator responsibility — Who maintains it? Who pays for propane or fuel? Whose responsibility if it fails during a storm?
• Water damage clauses — What happens if roof damage causes interior water damage? Standard practice is the landlord's insurance covers structural damage; renter's insurance covers your belongings.
• Uninhabitability provisions — If the property is damaged badly enough to be unlivable, what happens to your rent obligation and OHA? Most well-drafted Guam leases include a clause suspending rent until repairs are complete.
• Landlord contact during emergencies — Do you have an after-hours number? Property manager escalation path?
• Board-up responsibility — Some landlords cover exterior board-up; others expect the tenant to handle it. Know which applies before a storm is 48 hours out.

If you signed a lease I negotiated, most of these are already spelled out. If not, an email to your landlord confirming the answers in writing before June 1 is time well spent.

2. Household Prep — The Realistic Version

Every emergency management agency publishes a supply checklist. Here's the version specific to military renters on Guam, based on what actually matters when the power goes out and the ports close for a week.

Category	What You Actually Need
Water	1 gallon per person per day, 7 days minimum. Fill your bathtub and any large containers before the storm. Guam's water system usually stays functional but pressure can drop.
Food	7 days of shelf-stable food per person. Include a manual can opener. Grocery stores restock slowly after major storms.
Power	Test your generator monthly starting May 1. Store propane or fuel per manufacturer safety guidance. Portable USB battery packs (10,000+ mAh) for phones.
Fuel	Fill your vehicle's fuel tank when a storm enters the forecast. Gas stations close before landfall and can be closed for days after.
Cash	ATMs and card readers may not work for several days. Keep $200–500 in small bills.
Medications	7-day supply minimum. If you rely on refrigerated medications, plan for extended power loss.
Documentation	Waterproof pouch with passports, IDs, orders, lease, insurance policies, and important phone numbers. Photos on your phone as backup.
Communication	Battery-powered NOAA weather radio. Cell towers often stay operational but may lose backup power after 24–48 hours.
Comfort items	Manual entertainment (books, cards, games) for kids. Extended power outages with no A/C can be miserable — plan for it.

3. Property Prep — What to Do Before the Storm

72 hours before projected landfall, work through this list:

1. Photograph everything. Walk through the entire property, inside and out, taking photos and video. This documents the pre-storm condition for any post-storm damage claims.
2. Secure or store outdoor items. Patio furniture, grills, potted plants, kids' toys — anything that can become a projectile in 100+ mph winds. Store in the garage or bring inside.
3. Test the generator. Start it, let it run for 10 minutes, verify fuel is topped off. If it doesn't start, you have 48 hours to get it serviced — do not wait.
4. Fill water storage. Bathtub, large pots, water bottles, cistern (if you have one). Do this before pressure drops.
5. Charge everything. Phones, tablets, laptops, battery packs, portable radios. Charge them fully in the 24 hours before landfall.
6. Move belongings away from windows. Anything valuable within 3 feet of exterior glass should be moved to an interior wall.
7. Board-up if required. Check your lease. If it's your responsibility, plywood should be pre-cut and ready. If it's the landlord's, confirm they've arrived to install.
8. Fill your vehicle's fuel tank. Do this early — lines get long as the storm approaches.

4. During the Storm and Immediately After

The most important rule during the storm: stay inside, away from windows. The eye of the storm produces temporary calm — do not go outside during it. The back side of the eye brings winds from the opposite direction, often with worse debris impact.

After the storm passes:

• Wait for the "all clear" from official channels before going outside
• Watch for downed power lines — assume every line is live
• Photograph any damage to your rental property immediately
• Contact your landlord and property manager within 24 hours to report damage
• Contact your command sponsor to check in per your unit's accountability procedures
• Do not run your generator inside the house or garage — carbon monoxide is a leading cause of post-storm fatalities

5. Insurance — What Renters Need

Renter's insurance is not typically required by Guam landlords, but I strongly recommend it for military families. A basic policy covers:

• Your personal belongings if damaged or destroyed
• Temporary living expenses (hotel, meals) if your rental becomes uninhabitable
• Liability if someone is injured on the property

USAA, Armed Forces Insurance, Geico Military, and several local Guam insurers offer renter's coverage. Costs typically run $15–$40/month for the coverage most military families need. Confirm your policy is active before June 1.

Note: the landlord's insurance covers the building structure. It does not cover your belongings.

6. If Your Property Is Damaged

If the property is damaged enough that it becomes unlivable, three things happen in parallel:

1. Landlord's responsibility: arrange repairs. Timeline depends on damage scope; major structural damage can take weeks to months.
2. Your responsibility: file a claim with your renter's insurance for temporary living expenses and belongings.
3. Rent obligation: depending on your lease's uninhabitability clause, rent may be suspended until the property is habitable again. Do not stop paying without written landlord agreement or legal guidance.

Military members with damaged rentals should also notify their command housing office. In some cases, temporary base lodging may be available while repairs are underway.

7. Guam-Specific Resources

• National Weather Service Guam — weather.gov/gum — official forecasts and warnings
• Guam Homeland Security / Office of Civil Defense — evacuation info, shelter locations, TCCOR updates
• Andersen AFB Emergency Line — for airmen and families; check with your unit for the current number
• Naval Base Guam Emergency Line — for sailors and families; check with your command
• American Red Cross Guam Chapter — shelter and emergency assistance
• GPA (Guam Power Authority) — outage reports at guampowerauthority.com
• GWA (Guam Waterworks Authority) — water restoration updates

Store these numbers in your phone before June 1. If cell service goes down after the storm, the base emergency lines are typically your best point of contact.

📞 671-689-7726  ·  ✉️ terry@militaryhomesonguam.com

Hafa Adai — stay safe and prep early. Storm season is not a drill.