Full Notification

With the devastation to Moore, Oklahoma caused by a gigantic tornado that touched down on Tuesday, May 20th still a major focus of attention, and the memory of the devastation caused by Hurricane Sandy in October 2012 still fresh in people’s minds, the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) is urging people to prepare for the 2013 Atlantic Hurricane Season. The 2013 Atlantic Hurricane Season officially began on June 1st and typically the week before is designated as National Hurricane Preparedness Week.

Therefore, we would like to take this time to provide you with preparedness tips and suggestions from FEMA.

FEMA’s Ready.gov website provides information on how to prepare for hurricanes. They provide the following tips and suggestions:

To prepare for a hurricane, you should take the following measures:

• Build an emergency kit and make a family communications plan.
• Know your surroundings.
• Learn the elevation level of your property and whether the land is flood-prone. This will help you know how your property will be affected when storm surge or tidal flooding are forecasted.
• Identify levees and dams in your area and determine whether they pose a hazard to you.
• Learn community hurricane evacuation routes and how to find higher ground. Determine where you would go and how you would get there.

Make plans to secure your property.

• Cover all of your home’s windows. Permanent storm shutters offer the best protection for windows.
• A second option is to board up windows with 5/8” marine plywood, cut to fit and ready to install. Tape does not prevent windows from breaking.
• Install straps or additional clips to securely fasten your roof to the frame structure. This will reduce roof damage.
• Be sure trees and shrubs around your home are well trimmed so they are more wind resistant.
• Clear loose and clogged rain gutters and downspouts.
• Reinforce your garage doors; if wind enters a garage it can cause dangerous and expensive structural damage.
• Plan to bring in all outdoor furniture, decorations, garbage cans, and anything else that is not tied down.
• Determine how and where to secure your vehicle(s), including any recreation vehicles.
• Install a generator for emergencies.
• Consider building a safe room.
According to ready.gov, Hurricanes cause heavy rains that can cause extensive flood damage in coastal and inland areas. Everyone is at risk and should consider flood insurance protection. Flood insurance is the only way to financially protect your property or business from flood damage. To learn more about your flooding risk and how to protect yourself and your business, visit the Federal Insurance and Mitigation Administration (NFIP) website, www.floodsmart.gov, or call 1-800-427-2419.

To learn what you can do to prepare for hurricane season and pledge to prepare, visit ready.gov/hurricanes. You can access the mobile version of the website at m.fema.gov, making it easier to access critical information regarding emergency preparedness and what to do before and after a disaster from your smartphone and tablet. You are encouraged to download the FEMA smartphone app, which contains disaster safety tips, interactive lists for storing your emergency kit and emergency meeting location information, and a map with open shelters and open FEMA Disaster Recovery Centers. The app is free to download through your smartphone provider’s app store.

Learn More

Disaster Preparedness Kit (FEMA)

National Weather Service National Hurricane Center (NHC)

Resources from the NHC

Tropical Cyclone Preparedness Guide (pdf) - Spanish Version (pdf)
Ready.gov Kids

Be a Force of Nature with NOAA's Weather-Ready Nation

According to the National Hurricane Center, the names to be used for hurricanes for the 2013 season are:

Andrea Barry Chantal Dorian Erin Fernand Gabrielle
Humberto Ingrid Jerry Karen Lorenzo Melissa Nestor
Olga Pablo Rebekah Sebastien Tanya Van Wendy