Date: June 1, 2015
June 1 is the start of Atlantic hurricane season. Are you ready? Find out how you can prepare and know your evacuation zone. http://www.nhc.noaa.gov/prepare
Get ready for hurricanes and severe weather with an Emergency Supplies kit that includes three days of food and water. Having your supplies stored in one place will give you peace of mind if you need to take shelter or evacuate. Everything will be ready for you! For a more detailed list of what supplies to put in an emergency kit visit http://www.ready.gov/kit.
If you have pets, do you know what you would do with them during a hurricane? Prepare for the worst by assembling an animal emergency supply kit and developing a pet care buddy system. Whether you decide to stay put in an emergency or evacuate to a safer location, you will need to make plans in advance for your pets. For more information, visit http://www.ready.gov/caring-animals.
Do you live in a hurricane evacuation zone? If so, you need to plan on where you and your family would ride out the storm if you are told to evacuate. Your family may not be together when a disaster strikes so it is important to plan in advance: how you will get to a safe place; how you will contact on another; how you will get back together; and what you will do in different situations. Create a Family Communications Plan. For more information on evacuating and keeping in contact with family, visit http://www.ready.gove/make-a-plan.
Storm surge is the abnormal rise of water generated by a storm’s winds. This hazard is historically the leading cause of deaths in the United States in hurricanes. The destructive power of storm surge and large battering waves can result in large loss of life and destruction along the coast. Storm surge can travel several miles inland, especially along bays, rivers and estuaries. Watch this video to learn about storm surge and how to stay safe. http://bit.ly/1BdlXLi.
FEMA and The American Red Cross have free valuable apps available for download.
The official FEMA app provides a to-do list before emergencies. User can learn where shelters are available. Arrangements to meet friends and family members after a disaster can be decided in advance and noted.
First Aid by American Red Cross provides simple guidelines for responding to minor injuries. The mini training app comes with quizzes, diagrams and videos and provides a badge based award system.
Disaster Alert from the Pacific Disaster Center collates warnings and disasters around the world including droughts, fires and windstorms.
Hurricane tips and links provided by: National Weather Service, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NWS, NOAA)