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2019 National Hurricane Preparedness Week
4/23/2019 (Permalink)
National Hurricane Preparedness Week 2019
Hurricane season begins June 1st. This year National Hurricane Preparedness Week is May 5th through May 11th. Each day we are urged to focus on specific emergency planning tasks to help prepare our families and communities for hurricanes.
May 5th – Know Your Risk
How at risk of hurricane damages is your home or business? Evaluate what you need to do now in order to best protect your home and business. Sign up for local alerts online or download a weather app, like the FEMA app or the WDSU weather app.
May 6th – Develop an Evacuation Plan
The first thing you need to do is find out if you live in a storm surge hurricane evacuation zone or if you’re in a home that would be unsafe during a hurricane. If you are, then figure out where you’d go and how you’d get there if told to evacuate. You do not need to travel hundreds of miles. Identify someone, perhaps a friend or relative who doesn’t live in an evacuation zone or unsafe home, and coordinate with them to use their home as your evacuation destination. Be sure to account for your pets, as most local shelters do not permit them. Put the plan in writing for you and those you care about.
May 7th - Assemble Disaster Supplies
A hurricane emergency kit should include all the necessities for surviving at least 72 hours and any unique items your family may need, like items for pets or seniors. In addition to storing copies of important documents in your emergency kit, you should also have documents stored on the cloud or saved as a Google document.
May 8th - Get an Insurance Check Up
Is your home properly protected? Read our latest blog about flood insurance to learn important facts about flood insurance that may probably surprise you. For instance, just one inch of water in your home can cause up to $25,000 in damages. Imagine having to cover the restoration and rebuild costs without having insurance. Also, flood insurance doesn’t go into effect until thirty days after the purchase date and insurance cannot be purchased when a named storm is in the Gulf of Mexico. So, plan a meeting with your insurance agent today to review your policy and make necessary changes before it's too late.
May 9th - Strengthen Your Home
If you plan to ride out a hurricane in your home, then make sure it is in good repair and up to local hurricane building code specifications. Have the proper plywood, steel or aluminum panels to board up the windows and doors. Remember, the garage door is the most vulnerable part of the home. So, it must be able to withstand high winds. You can reduce property damage in the event of a hurricane by retrofitting (i.e., reinforcing) the roof, windows, and doors.
May 10th - Help Your Neighbor
Many Americans rely on their neighbors after a disaster, but there are also many ways you can help your neighbors before a hurricane approaches. Learn about all the different actions your community can take to prepare and recover from the hazards associated with hurricanes by visiting ready.gov/neighbors.
May 11th – Make an Emergency Plan
Write down your full emergency plan and share it with your friends and family. Having a written plan will take the guesswork out of your response and allow you to calmly make decisions during a disaster. For help creating your emergency plan, you can visit ready.gov/make-a-plan.
Remember, it only takes one storm to change your life and community. For more information on hurricanes and hurricane safety, visit weather.gov/safety/hurricane