Hurricane
Preparedness Week: May 26th- June 1.
According
to FEMA, “Floods are America’s number one natural disaster and can happen
anytime, anywhere.” Floods are consistently the most common, costly and deadly
natural disaster Americans face each year. In fact 90% of all natural disasters
in the U.S. involve flooding.
Two keys to weather safety are to prepare for the risks and
to act on those
preparations when alerted by emergency officials. These are essential pieces to
the Weather-Ready Nation.
Refer to the Federal Emergency
Management Agency's (FEMA) ready.gov/hurricanes for
comprehensive information on hurricane preparedness at home and in your
community.
Highlights on how to prepare and take action are available
below:
- Gather
Information
- Plan & Take
Action
- Recover
- Resources
Gather Information
Know if you live in an evacuation area. Assess your risks
and know your home's vulnerability to storm surge,flooding and wind.
Understand National Weather Service forecast products and especially the
meaning of NWSwatches and warnings.
Contact your local National Weather Service office and local
government/emergency management office. Find out what type of emergencies could
occur and how you should respond.
Contacts
Keep a list of contact information for reference.
- Local Emergency
Management Office
- County
Law Enforcement
- County
Public Safety Fire/Rescue
- State,
County and City/Town Government
- Local
Hospitals
- Local
Utilities
- Local
American Red Cross
- Local
TV Stations
- Local
Radio Stations
- Your
Property Insurance Agent
Risk Analysis
Online hazard and vulnerability assessment tools are
available to gather information about your risks.
- Check
your hazards risks with FEMA's Map
Portal.
- Rate
your flood risk with the FloodSmart.gov portal.
Plan & Take Action
Everyone needs to be prepared for the unexpected. Your
friends and family may not be together when disaster strikes. How will you find
each other? Will you know if your children or parents are safe? You may have to
evacuate or be confined to your home. What will you do if water, gas,
electricity or phone services are shut off?
Supplies Kit
Put together a basic disaster supplies kit and
consider storage locations
for different situations. Help community members do
the same.
Emergency Plans
Develop and document plans for your specific risks.
- Protect
yourself and family with a Family Emergency Plan
- Be
sure to plan for
locations away from home
- Business
owners and site locations should create Workplace Plans
- Make
sure schools and daycares have School
Emergency Plans
- Pet
owners should have plans to care for their animals.
The Centers for Disease Control & Prevention offer information
on animal health
impacts in evacuation shelters.
- Prepare
your boat and be aware of marine safety if
you are on or near the water.
Health & Environment
Follow guidelines to guard your community's health and
protect the environment during and after the storm.
- Review
the Centers for Disease Control's (CDC) health
considerations before, during, and after a storm.
- Remember
to follow the U.S. Food & Drug Administration's (FDA) food and water
safety guidelines during disasters.
- Review
the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) suggestions for health and environmental safety
in disaster preparedness.
Evacuation
- Review
the FEMA Evacuation
Guidelines to allow for enough time
to pack and inform friends and family if you need to leave your home.
FOLLOW instructions issued by local officials. Leave immediately if
ordered!
- Consider your protection
options to decide whether to stay
or evacuate your home if you are not ordered to evacuate.
When waiting out a storm be
careful, the danger may not be over yet...
Be alert for:
- Tornadoes
– they are often spawned by hurricanes.
- The
calm "eye" of the storm – it may seem like the storm is over,
but after the eye passes, the winds will change direction and quickly
return to hurricane force.
Recover
- Wait
until an area is declared safe before returning home.
- Remember
that recovering from
a disaster is usually a gradual
process.
