Two Major Garbage Companies in Merida

Company Name: PAMPLONA
Phone: 999-984-4799
Office hours: Monday-Friday, 8 AM to 1 PM and 3 PM to 6 PM. Saturdays 8 AM to 12 PM
Address: Calle 66 # 720-B between 99- F and 101 diagonal
Directions: Follow Calle 66 south, past the Plaza Grande. After you pass by the cemetery (on your right), the Pamplona office will be on your left.
Cost: $14.00 pesos monthly.
Pamplona’s Schedule: Monday: organic, Tuesday: inorganic, Friday: organic.

Company Name: SERVILIMPIA
Phone: 999-942-0000 ext. 81200
Office hours: Monday-Friday, 8 AM to 3 PM
Address: Calle 62 x 59 in Centro, Building Condesa
Cost: $14.00 pesos monthly
Servilimpia’s schedule: Monday: organic, Wednesday: inorganic, Friday: organic.

Other Details About Garbage Service in Merida

Each company serves different areas in Merida. You can call and provide them with your address and they will tell you which company serves your area. Or you can just ask a neighbor.

After you have figured out which company is yours, go to their offices and ask for the service and pay the fee. You might get lucky and a representative from the company will come to your door asking for the fee. We suggest you pay for the entire year instead of each month. This is more convenient, it saves trips to their office or answering your doorbell every month, and you get a discount.

Garbage Collection and Recycling in Merida Yucatan

If you live in downtown, they try to collect the trash at night. On the day that they are picking up, leave your trash bags outside of your house on the sidewalk. If you are unsure which night they come in your neighborhood, as they don’t always come on the nights indicated, again, check with your neighbors.

Find out when the trucks come to your neighborhood, and try to only put the trash bags out an hour or so before they will be picked up. This saves the neighborhood from trash scattered by scavenging dogs and also saves everyone, yourself included, from the not-so-lovely odor of trash that is being cooked in the hot sun.

You can leave large items outside your door and the garbage service MIGHT take them away. If the men coming to collect the garbage feel that you have left them something that is outside the boundaries of “normal”, you might find them banging on your door for your attention. Answer the door, thank them for their service, and hand them fifty to a hundred pesos, depending on what you are asking them to haul away.

It is also customary to give them a propina (tip) of $100 pesos or so during the Christmas season.

Recycling

Recycling is done in the Yucatan, but probably not in the way you are used to if you come from the US or Canada. The garbage companies do not separate out recyclable trash and recycle it. However, there are recycling centers where you can take glass, cans, metals and other things and get paid for them. There is a recycling center behind the Parque de la Paz, on the other side of the railroad tracks, for instance. Take your boxes of recyclables there and they will pay you a few pesos for your trouble.

You can also leave recyclable items (glass, cans, cardboard) in separate bags when you leave out your trash. The garbage workers remove anything from the trash they collect that they can take to a recycling center for a little extra cash. If you leave those items in separate bags for them, you just make that work a little bit easier for them.

For many foreigners living in Yucatán state and located a significant distance from Meridá, immigration services have recently become more simplified.  Residents in outlying parts of Yucatan State will no longer need to travel to Meridá two or three times each year to renew their FM2 or FM3 visas.  The National Institute of Migration (INM) has recently opened two satellite offices.  One is in Progreso and one in Valladolid.  The Meridá office remains the main office for immigration services. 

Individuals who need to visit an immigration office must visit the office closest to where they are living.  In general, the Valladolid office services the eastern part of the state of Yucatán, Progreso handles the northern area and Meridá is responsible for everywhere else.  Perhaps in the future INM will produce a map that outlines the borders for each of the three offices’ service areas.  At present, Valladolid area residents, including anyone who lives in Temozón, Tizimin and Chemax, should know that if they travel to Merida for immigration services, they will be instructed to return to the Valladolid office for assistance. Anyone living in any of the beach communities along the Yucatan Gulf Coast must go to the Progreso office for their immigration services.

Valladolid, Yucatan Local Delegation

In October of 2011, the Valladolid satellite office was officially opened.  Services were a little erratic in the beginning because of office closures during the long holiday season.  However, since the beginning of 2012, services have been regular except for closure on national holidays and for a staff workshop.  The offices are located in a renovated ex-school building and include well-kept restroom facilities.  The office is easy to locate and road signs will direct you right to the building complex.

If you are unfamiliar with the city of Valladolid, simply go directly to the city center on Calle 42. This is the street you will be on after exiting the cuota from either Cancun or Meridá.  Remain on Calle 42 past the large central cathedral until the pavement ends.  Turn left on Calle 53 and after you one half block, you will see an INM road sign indicating that you should turn right at the approaching corner. Then proceed one kilometer to reach the office.  The street you will be driving on is also the road to Chichimilá.  An additional sign 500 meters from your destination will remind you that you are very close.  Finally, just prior to reaching the office, a sign will direct you to turn right to enter a driveway that will allow you to park close to the INM office.

If the gate is locked, wait a few minutes and the staff will usually appear.  The office normally opens on Mondays through Fridays from 9:00 AM until 1:00 PM for client services.  In the afternoon, the staff remains until 5:00 PM to complete the day’s paperwork but is not available for direct consultations with clients during this time.

Helpful Staff

Local residents in both locations have found the staff to be extraordinarily professional and helpful.  The staff members in these offices do speak a little English, but we would recommend that you take a Spanish-speaking friend if your Spanish comprehension is minimal.  If all your paperwork is in order, the process is painless and usually takes two or three days.  During busy times of the year, getting your visa could take up to two weeks, so plan accordingly.

Renewal Advice

Do not wait until the last minute to renew your visa.  If you allow your FMM, FM3, or FM2 visas to expire, you will be required to pay a fine and will create additional paperwork you will wish you had avoided.  Remember that the FMM tourist visa allows you to remain in the country for 180 days, after which you will have to return to one of Mexico’s border stations to receive a new FMM visa.  You can begin the renewal process for your FM3 or FM2 one month before it expires.  The FM3 and FM2 visas are now the same size as a drivers license or credit card and can be easily carried in your wallet.  Also, pay attention to when the offices will be closed for official holidays. If your visa comes up for renewal during a holiday period (Christmas, Semana Santa, etc.), be sure to start the renewal process early.

Valladolid Delegation’s Official Address:
Instituto Nacional De Migracion
Delegation Local Valladolid
Km 2.5 Carretera Valladolid-Felipe Carrillo Puerto
Valladolid, Yucatán, Mexico 97780
Office hours: 9 AM to 1 PM, Monday through Friday

Progreso Delegation’s Official Address:
Instituto Nacional De Migracion
Calle 80 x 39, No. 176 (right next to SMAPAP, on the road out of town toward Merida)
Phone number: (969) 935 00 22
Office hours: 9 AM to 1 PM, Monday through Friday

Editor’s Note: Special thanks to Byron Augustin for his help with the Valladolid information in this article. As always, if you need assistance with immigration activities, don’t hesitate to call Yucatan Expatriate Services for their help in obtaining your visas.

How To Get Your INAPAM Card

Here is how to get your INAPAM card in Merida, Yucatan.

First of all, the main requirement for the INAPAM card is that you must be 60 years old. To prove that you comply with this basic requirement, you must show the appropriate authorities the following documents:

• Your passport
• Your FM3, FM2 or certificate of naturalization (Mexican citizenship)
• Comprabante or proof of address. This can be any of the following, and do NOT have to be in your name. The document just has to show your address:
  • CFE (electricity) bill
  • JAPAY (water) bill
  • Telmex (telephone) bill
  • Gas bill
  • Predial (property tax receipt)
  • A bank statement with your address
• Two color front-facing photos, infant size or infantil (2.5 cm by 3 cm)

Make two copies of each document. You are required to bring one copy and the original, but in our experience, it is best to bring two copies of each document. If there is an unforeseen requirement for another copy, you will not be forced to lose your place in the process and leave to get a copy.

INAPAM Office in Merida

Bring your original documents and the copies to the INAPAM offices which are located on Calle 59 S/N (that means sin nombre, without a number), between Avenida Itzaes and Calle 90. This is a yellow building located to the north of Parque de la Paz, the park across from the Centennial Zoo.

INAPAM offices are open Monday through Friday from 8:00 AM to 3:00 PM, and most certainly they are closed on all national holidays. The phone number is 999-923-9600.

When you enter the office, you will have to get at the end of the waiting line. When it is your turn, the officer will request to see your original documents and will keep the copies that you provide him or her. If your documents are complete and valid, the officer will create your card and you will get the card on the same day. If the office is not crowded, the entire process will only take about one hour.

Benefits of the INAPAM Card

With your INAPAM card, you can look forward to discounts of 5 to 50% in many places. You can expect to find discounts at hotels, restaurants, drugstores, travel agencies, doctors, medical services, buses and other transportation, furniture stores and much more. According to the INAPAM website, you can even get 15% discount on Aeromexico and 20% discount on Interjet airline tickets.

Getting your INAPAM card is easy if you speak or understand a little bit of Spanish. But if you would like assistance, Yucatan Expatriate Services is always here to help! Contact us at info@yucatanyes.com.

For more information (in Spanish), you can visit the INAPAM website.

• Reception, evaluation and study of applicant´s request to obtain immigration form: This is a onetime payment of $550 pesos that applies when you change your FMM to a Non-Immigrant card (FM3), either for lucrative or for non-lucrative purposes.
• Non-Immigrant (FM3) for non-lucrative purposes (rentista): $1,451 pesos
• Non-Immigrant (FM3) for lucrative purposes : $2,356 pesos
• Non- Immigrant (FM3) renewal for non lucrative purposes (rentista): $1,451 pesos
• Non-Immigrant (FM3) renewal for lucrative purposes: $2,356 pesos
• Filing in the National Foreign Registry: This is a onetime payment of $750 pesos that applies when you request an Immigrant card (FM2) for the first time, either for lucrative or for non-lucrative purposes.
• Immigrant (FM2) for lucrative or non-lucrative purposes: $3,139 pesos
• Immigrant (FM2) renewal for lucrative or non-lucrative purposes: $3,140 pesos
• Replacement of Immigrant card (FM2): $942 pesos to replace a lost card
• Permission to fly out of the country: If your Non-Immigrant or Immigrant applications are in process and you need to fly out of the country, you can apply for an exit permit that costs $322 pesos.
• Study to change to Immigrated status: If you want to apply for the Immigrated status, you must first pay $1,000 pesos for a study to be made by the Immigration office regarding your application.
• Immigrated: After you spend 5 years as an Immigrant you can apply for the Immigrated status for a cost of $3,828 pesos.
• Replacement of Immigrated card: $1,413 pesos for a replacement card.
• Change of activity status: If you have a Non-Immigrant or Immigrant card with a specific activity, in order to change the activity, you must pay a fee of $2,289 pesos.

For much more detailed information about the different types of immigrant and non-immigrant status visas in Mexico, please read our in-depth Expatriate Guide to Immigration which can be purchased and downloaded from our website here.

As always, the project managers at Yucatan Expatriate Services are available to help you with the paperwork and process of obtaining your visa. Give the office a call for information or to set up an appointment.

Also, during this time, travelers from the fringe states or border region that are traveling towards the interior of Mexico can import merchandise valued up to $300 USD. This temporary rule applies to any person who introduces merchandise from another country when he or she enters Mexico or moves from the border region to the rest of the country.

Travelers (minors included) have the right to bring into Mexico their personal luggage and personal articles without paying taxes. Personal luggage and personal items are defined below:

Personal Luggage

Each passenger (minors included) can include articles that are mentioned below, new or used, as part of their personal luggage, without the payment of taxes:

• Goods for personal use, such as clothing, footwear and personal toiletries and beauty products. These must be in an amount appropriate for the duration of the trip and cannot be for commercial sale, including wedding party items and baby travel accessories, such as strollers and baby-walkers.
  Explanatory notes: When evaluating whether or not the items you are bringing are for personal use or commercial gain, they take into account the duration and the circumstances of the trip, the object of the trip, your profession, your stated activity in Mexico and the “characteristics of the passenger”. In order to bring articles for the travel, cleanliness and entertainment of a baby as part of your luggage, it is required that the baby is traveling with the passenger.
• Two photographic cameras or video recorders including 12 rolls of film or videotapes
• Photographic material printed or on film
• Three portable cell phone or of other wireless network devices
• One global positioning device (GPS)
• One portable typewriter
• One electronic calendar
• One new or used portable computer (laptop, notebook, omnibook or similar items)
• One portable copier or printer
• One portable projector
• One CD or DVD recording device

The above items can be new or used and can include their accessories.

Sport Equipment

• Two new or used portable sports items (like surfboards… )
• Four fishing rods
• Three speedboats with or without sails and their accessories
• Trophies or other awards, as long as they can be normally transported by the passenger
• One treadmill
• One exercise bike
  Explanatory notes: In order for the sport equipment to be considered part of the personal luggage of the passenger, the passenger must be able to carry it.
  Regarding trophies of sport hunting, if the trophy is a dead or dissected animal or its parts, it must be brought to the warehouse of the Customs Department for processing and import, through a customs agent. This will require paperwork, payment of corresponding taxes and fulfilling the required permissions.

Electronic and Entertainment Equipment

• Portable device for the recording or reproduction of sound or both
• Two image and digital sound recorders or reproducers or one portable reproducer of compact discs and one portable reproducer of DVD’s
• A pair of portable loudspeakers, whether new or used, and their accessories
• Five laser disks, 10 DVD disks, 30 compact disks (CD) or magnetic tapes (audiocassettes), for the reproduction of sound
• Three software packages
• Five storage devices for any electronic equipment
• Books, magazines and printed documents
• Five toys, including collectible toys
• One video game console and five video games
  Explanatory notes: In case of toys, if the toys are present in a package that contains more than one piece, each package will be considered as one toy.

Medical Devices

• One device for measuring blood pressure
• One device to measure glucose
• Drugs for personal use. In the case of psychotropic substances, the prescription must be available to show the agent.

Luggage

Trunks, suitcases, bags or any other article necessary for the transport of luggage. You can bring any number of trunks, suitcase, bags or any other article necessary to transfer your items. These are not taxed by the Mexican government.

Passengers over 18 years of age

• A maximum of 20 packs of cigarettes
• 25 cigars or 200 gr. of tobacco
• Up to 3 liters of alcoholic beverages and 6 liters of wine

Other Personal Items

• One telescope
• One set of binoculars
• One tent and other associate articles used for camping
• For the elderly and for people with disabilities, any items that replace or reduce their limitations, such as walkers, wheelchairs, crutches, canes or similar items
• Two musical instruments and their accessories
  Explanatory notes: As for the musical instruments to be considered as part of the personal luggage they must be portable, which means the passenger must be able to carry the item.

Personal Tools

• A set of hand tools including their case, which may include a drill, pliers, wrenches, dices, screwdrivers, cables, among others
  Explanatory notes: For the tools and their cases to be considered as part of personal luggage, the passenger must be able to carry the items.

Any additional items brought by the passenger will not be considered part of their personal luggage.

In Addition To All That…

The Mexican Government grants to any person, national or foreign, the permission to bring a given quantity of merchandise into the country without paying rights or duties.

If you enter Mexico by sea or air: You are permitted to bring with you up to $300 USD (or equivalent) in one or various articles, not including beer, alcoholic beverages and wrought tobaccos.

If you enter Mexico by land: You are permitted to bring with you up to $75 USD (or equivalent) in one or various articles, not including beer, alcoholic beverages, wrought tobaccos and gasoline (you may bring in the gasoline in the gas tank of the vehicle in alignment with manufacturer’s specifications). From November 1, 2011 until January 8, 2012, that limit is raised to $300 USD for anyone with a Mexican passport.

In all cases it is necessary to have the invoice, bill, receipt or any other document that shows the commercial value of the merchandise.

Each person in a family (father, mother and the children, including even those who are underage) gets an individual allowance, even when they arrive into Mexico simultaneously and in the same mean of transportation.

If a passenger wants to bring merchandise other than what is defined above into Mexico, they will have to import these goods and pay the corresponding taxes.

For the import of merchandise that exceeds the personal allowance, there are two procedures allowed. There is a simplified procedure for travelers, which can be handled with paperwork and payment in the Customs Office at the point of entry. This is only available if the merchandise is worth less than $3000 USD and the merchandise is not subject to restrictions. For anything that does not qualify for the simplified procedure, there is also the importation procedure, done by means of a customs declaration and transacted by a customs agent that must be hired by the importer.

The additional personal allowance is done regularly each year to facilitate families and tourists traveling in and out of Mexico during the holidays. The regular $75 personal allowance for traveling by land will be back in effect on January 9, 2012.

Where To Go

You can get your driver’s license in two places in Merida. One location is in the Centro, across from the Zoo in the old Penitentiary. The other location is in the north of Merida, just south of Liverpool on the same side of Prolongación Montejo. The two locations are:

Departamento de Registro y Control Vehicular
Location: Calle 61-A # 494 x 88-A and 90, Colonia Centro (The big building across from the Parque Centenario Zoo on the Parque de La Paz)
Hours: Monday through Friday, 8:00 AM to 2:00 PM, Saturday 8:0 AM to 1:00 PM
Phone: (999) 923-6540 or (999) 928-5028

Convention Center Siglo XXI, Kabah Salon
Location: Calle 60 North, Colonia Revolución Ex-Cordemex
Hours: Monday through Friday, 8:00 to 19:30, Saturday 8:00 to 17:30
Phone:(999) 981-6420

Driver’s License Documentation

When you go to apply for your driver’s license, you need to pick up the application form at the desk, and fill it out. In addition, you must bring the following documents with you (both the original and a copy to leave with the authorities):

• Valid Passport
• Visa proving your legal status in Mexico
• Birth certificate
• Proof of address: A recent bill for your water (JAPAY), electricity (CFE), phone (Telmex or Telcel or your phone company), property tax (known as a predial) or a bank statement in your name and not older than 90 days.

Costs to obtain a driver’s license are:

• Car license: $337.00 MXN
• Motorcycle license: $196.00 MXN

You will be asked to fill out the forms completely. You will then be given instructions to pay the appropriate fees at a local bank, and what documentation to bring back after you have paid.

Procedure To Obtain Your Driver’s License

First, you will submit your documentation in the reception area, including the application. You will be asked to take an eye exam, to ensure that your eyesight is in good condition to drive. You will be asked to do a blood test if you don´t already know your blood type. If you do know it, it is not necessary to take this step. Just tell them your blood type.

You will be given a written test based on the Regulation of Transportation of the Government of the State. This tests you on the current driving laws of the State. The booklet outlining the current laws is not available in English, but the test can be taken in English. You will also be required to take a driving test with your vehicle.

Once you pass the two tests, there is no additional fee to get your license. At the offices listed above, where you take your test, they will take your picture, obtain your fingerprints and your signature. At that time, you must present the receipt of your payment in the license delivery area. After that, your license will be issued and provided to you. A Mexican driver´s license is good for two years.

Renewing Your Driver’s License in Mexico

As we mentioned, your initial license is valid for a two year period. Renewing your license is much more convenient, as long as you do it before it becomes invalid.

You have three options when renewing your Mexican driver’s license:

• Go to either of the two locations mentioned above.
• Go to any USE (Unidad de Servicios Electrónicos) locations 60 days prior to your license expiration or 30 days after expiration.
• Renew online, within 12 months before expiration or 30 days after. To renew online, you need a credit or debit card for payment. The license will be delivered to your home within 10 working days by DHL, or you can pick it up at the Departamento de Registro y Control Vehicular near Parque de la Paz (address above).

The USE locations are as follows:

Mérida

Gran Plaza, Mérida, Yuc.
First floor, in front of the CFE office.
Monday to Sunday from 10:00 to 22:00 hrs.

Plaza Fiesta, Mérida, Yuc.
Monday to Sunday from 09:00 to 21:00 hrs.

Plaza Las Américas, Mérida, Yuc.
Local 25, between Librería Dante and VIPS restaurant
Monday to Sunday from 08:00 to 22:00 hrs.

Plaza Oriente, Mérida, Yuc.
Monday to Sunday from 09:00 to 22:00 hrs.

México Norte
Calle 20 #104 x 23 and 25, Offices 1 and 2 Plaza México, Colonia México, Mérida, Yuc.
Monday to Friday from 9:00 to 16:00 hrs., Saturday from 9:30 to 13:00 hrs.

Villa Palmira. Calle 95 No. 504 x 62 Col. Delio Moreno, Mérida, Yuc.
Monday to Friday from 8:00 to 20:00 hrs., Saturday from 8:00 to 13:00 hrs.

Izamal

Calle 31 # 374 x 44 y 46 Centro, Izamal, Yuc.
Next to the Civil Registry
Monday to Friday from 8:00 to 20:00 hrs., Saturday from 8:00 to 13:00 hrs.

Tekax

La Casona, Calle 50 between 53 and 55, Tekax, Yuc.
In front of the city’s market
Monday to Friday from 08:00 to 20:00 hrs., Saturday from 08:00 to 13:00 hrs.

Ticul

Calle 21 no number X 24-A Col. Centro, Ticul, Yuc.
Casa de la Cultura.
Monday to Friday from 8:00 to 20:00 hrs., Saturday from 8:00 to 13:00 hrs.

Tizimín

Calle 45 between 62 and 64, Tizimín, Yuc.
In front of the “Zoológico de la Reina”
Monday to Friday from 08:00 to 20:00 hrs., Saturday from 08:00 to 13:00 hrs.

Valladolid

Calle 42 No. 203 x 43 Col. Centro, Valladolid, Yuc.
Former local of the Elementary School José María Iturralde
Monday to Friday from 8:00 to 20:00 hrs., Saturday from 8:00 to 13:00 hrs.

You cannot renew online or at a USE location two years in a row. If you use one of those methods one year, the next year you must go to one of the two locations at the beginning of this article.

You need to take the following documents with you to renew (the original and a copy):

• Original driver´s license.
• ID (passport).
• Proof of address (electricity, water or phone bill, not older than 2 months).

The fee to renew is the same as for obtaining the initial license and you must pay at the office where you are doing the procedure in cash only. As long as your data and information is in the system, you will not be required to take either driving test again. If you do not renew your driver´s license after the initial two years, and do it on time, there are penalties. If you are stopped by the police and you do not have a valid driver’s license when he requests it, there will be penalties of 13 to 15 times the local minimum wage, which comes to about $730 MXN to $850 MXN.

If you want help getting your Mexican Driver’s License, the bilingual project managers at Yucatan Expatriate Services can assist you.

Former Hurricanes in the Yucatan

In Yucatan’s recent history, there have been two hurricanes that have been quite destructive throughout the entire state: Hurricane Gilberto in September 1988 and Hurricane Isidore in September 2002.

Both of these hurricanes caused a lot of damage throughout the state, but not for everyone. There are certain types of buildings that resist hurricane damage better than others. Much also depends on exactly where the hurricane goes, and how quickly it moves through. There are many factors, not the least of which is Fate and Luck.

In the spirit of the old saying, “Trust God, but tie up your camel!”, it is wise to take as many precautions as you can before a hurricane comes to your neighborhood. Luckily, with today’s modern reporting and the information on the internet, you will never be surprised by a hurricane, but will always have two to three days in which to prepare.

Those of you who have properties in Yucatan should read carefully the following recommendations for hurricane preparation.

The Government of Yucatan State has issued a set of precautions that it encourages you to follow. Yucatan State has defined three alerts, each designated by a different color. The intensity of the alert varies according to the proximity of the hurricane to the area in question. Keep in mind that these are statewide precautions, and some of them may not apply to you or your property. For example, most of you reading this article will probably not have to worry about dead animals in your yard, though this is an important precaution in certain parts of the State.

Yellow Alert: Prepare

• If you are visiting any coastal area, head to the inland cities.
• Have tools close at hand for reinforcing your home.
• Put all your important documents (passport, birth certificate, trust deed, etc.) in a plastic bag.
• If you have decided to move to a shelter, prepare light luggage. Bring a thick blanket, some clothes, shoes, food and water.

Orange Alert: Alarm

• Secure doors and windows of your house with tape or wood panels.
• Fix and tie any objects that must stay outdoors. Bring inside any loose items. Remove antennas and advertisements, flags or boards.
• Turn off the gas and secure the tanks.
• Protect your pets.
• If you are in a coastal area and you do not have a means of transportation, use the buses that the Government of the State provides for evacuation.

Red Alert: Danger

• Stay calm.
• Listen to the radio for information and instructions.
• Keep the family together in the safest place of the house, away from doors and windows; if the wind opens them, do not move towards them directly, but approach from the side.
• Unplug electrical appliances.
• Do not leave your house until the authorities announce that the situation of danger has passed.
• If you are in a shelter, do not move out until the authorities say so.
• After the hurricane, remove stagnant water to avoid diseases and cover dead animals with lime.
• Do not connect wet electrical appliances.
• Verify that any water and food are in good condition before consuming.

Additional Preparations

As natives of the Yucatan, we have lived through the two infamous hurricanes mentioned earlier, as well as numerous storms. We have prepared another “to do list” in addition to the recommendations of Yucatan State. Our precautions are geared towards helping you protect your home and yourself in the home. If you do not live here, these lists will help you with communicating to a person that you may hire before or after the hurricane hits, who can perform these functions on your behalf.

For Home or Building Owners Along the Yucatan Coast

• First of all, we would suggest that you purchase Hurricane Insurance. If your home is far enough away from the waterline and if you have a retaining wall to protect your property against hurricane surge, then you should be able to buy adequate insurance. However, we caution you that some homes built along the coast are uninsurable.
• Before the hurricane hits, leave the doors and windows in the house open. This seems counterintuitive, but it allows the water to enter and exit the house without destroying the windows and doors. At least it gives them a better chance of surviving.
• Store all the house furniture in the room of the house that is farthest from the ocean and the sand.
• Arrange for someone to visit the house as soon as possible after the hurricane to assess any damages and begin the process of cleanup. Though the threat of looting is pretty low, it is not unheard of. Also, the heat and humidity after a hurricane may do additional damage to houses left open and unattended.

For Home or Building Owners Anywhere on the Yucatan Peninsula

• Raise all electronic devices as high as possible. For example, raise your refrigerator or stove with a pile of blocks. If your kitchen floods, the water will not ruin the appliance. If you have lived through a hurricane in your house before, or even through a really strong storm, you probably have an idea of which rooms in the house are subject to flooding. In that case, you will be able to just concentrate on those rooms. If you are unfamiliar with your house, this simple precaution may save some expensive appliances. (Hint: If you are new to your neighborhood, talk to your neighbors. They will be able to tell you if flooding is a problem in the area or not. Chances are, if your house is inland and didn’t flood during Hurricane Isidore (in 2002), it probably isn’t going to flood this time either.) Luckily, most furniture in the Yucatan is built to withstand flooding. Roperos, couches and other furniture have legs and do not have draping fabric. If there is anything that is on the floor in a flood-prone room that you don’t want to get wet, put it up somewhere higher.
• Put a cross with masking tape over any large windows. If the glass breaks from the wind or pressure, the pieces will stick to the tape and the chance of flying glass will be minimized. Be sure to ask for special glass tape. Certain kinds of tape are difficult to remove from glass, which is why you see many older buildings in Merida with tape crosses on the windows. You can be sure they are left over from the last threat of hurricane.
• Secure the doors and windows of the house where you will be staying during the hurricane. If you see that a large window is bulging or under pressure from the wind, open it up and let the wind and rain in the house. Water and leaves can be removed a lot more easily than shards of broken glass.
• Purchase canned food, bread, bottles of water, candles, flash lights and batteries. If you have a generator, be sure it is running and that you have gas for it. After the hurricane, you could be without electricity for a week or two.
• Put gasoline in your vehicle(s). If you need to go somewhere during (let’s hope not!) or after the hurricane in your car, you don’t want to be searching for an open gas station.
• Get a radio with batteries so you can be informed when the hurricane is leaving and when it is safe to go outside. Because hurricanes have eyes – the calm center of the storm – you could be fooled into thinking the worst is over when, in truth, it is just about to begin again. At some point, you will lose electricity and internet access. When Hurricane Isidore was over, the only working utility for days were Telmex landlines, which only worked with standard phones that receive power from the line. In 2011, that might be different, but cell phone towers are some of the most vulnerable structures in a hurricane.



• Make sure your roof tinaco is full and that the top is tightly closed. Your tinaco will be your source of water (gravity fed) until the electricity comes back on. Also, full tinacos tend to stay on the roof, while empty tinacos tend to fly away.
• Likewise, be sure that your propane gas tank is full and well secured. It may be hard to get gas for days after the storm.
• If you have a satellite dish or minisplit air conditioning units on your roof, it is often a good idea to lay them down. Most likely they will not fly away, but the strong winds could knock them down if they are standing in their usual position. If you lay them down ahead of time, they are less likely to get damaged.
• Bring inside any outdoor furniture or small potted plants from balconies and outdoor areas. If you can’t bring them inside, secure them in some way. Heavy planters will likely survive the wind and rain, but the plants may not.
• Take down any hanging lamp fixtures outdoors that might be subject to wind damage or be knocked down by strong winds.
• Other sources of water after the hurricane may include your swimming pool. You won’t want to drink out of it, but you may use it for washing dishes or bathing.
• Put a good stock of clean and dry clothes, towels and bedding somewhere where they will not get wet during the hurricane. Because you will be doing without electricity for awhile afterwards, you will want these. If you use up everything during the hurricane, you’ll be left with a lot of wet clothes and towels afterwards, and no way to dry them.

Other Hurricane Precautions

We probably do not need to tell you that it is unsafe to walk around during a hurricane. In the Yucatan, things that might be flying through the air during a hurricane include power lines, cell phone towers, pieces of metal or plastic lamina… not to mention sticks, tree limbs and trees themselves. Get inside as the hurricane approaches and stay inside. Be sure to wait for the eye of the storm and the ensuing second half of the hurricane before venturing outside again. Unless you are in a tent, a Mayan hut or a mobile home, you are much safer inside the stone and concrete homes of Yucatan than you would be outside.

If you have questions or concerns on how to prepare for a hurricane, please feel free to comment below.

If you are not currently in Yucatan or unable to make arrangements for yourself, please contact Yucatan Expatriate Services. We can hire and coordinate the people who can secure your home in advance of the hurricane and clean it up afterwards.

Email: info@tierrayucatan.com
Website: www.tierrayucatan.com

Email: hponce@henryponce.com
Website: www.henryponce.com

Email: mitch@mexintl.com
Website: www.mexintl.com