The official, Atlantic hurricane season begins on June 1st and ends November 30th. Nine hurricanes are predicted for the season. With many lessons learned along the way, the Association asks that each homeowner focus on hurricane preparedness at this time and asks each family to come up with a personal plan. Hurricane season starts on June 1st and ends on November 30th.
Each Family Needs a Personal Plan
"A personal plan in every home is essential during each hurricane season,” cautions Missouri City Mayor Allen Owen. “We must always be ready for the next hurricane because when one hits, it does whether we are ready or not. We encourage residents to plan for one now; this is what Hurricane Awareness Week is intended to do— to advise residents to be prepared with a personal plan. ”
In communities throughout Texas this week, May 20-26th is Hurricane Awareness Week. Residents throughout the State are urged to be prepared for the 2007 hurricane season which starts on June 1. Some of you know first hand how massive storms can cause flooding and tornadoes hundreds of miles from the coastal areas hit by a hurricane.
In a coordinated effort to advise residents of the importance of hurricane preparedness, the Association shares the important messages from Governor Rick Perry’s Office. In particular, families are advised to designate a place to go in case of evacuation, develop an emergency plan for communicating with relatives and friends in other areas, and put together a "readiness kit" of important supplies, including items such as a battery-operated radio and flashlight. It is also important to pay attention to all warnings, information, and instructions provided by emergency management officials.
The cooperative, coordinated work among the emergency management personnel continues throughout the year. In fact, as a result of feedback on lessons learned from Hurricane Rita, there have been measures put in place to impact key areas that include the evacuation of people with special needs; command, control and communications; traffic management; fuel availability; and public awareness.
The Association is taking this time to ask residents to become informed, and take advantage of the many opportunities provided to make you aware of what you need to do in case of a hurricane. Along those lines, the National Weather Service will host a 2007 Hurricane Workshop for the Houston/Galveston metropolitan area on Saturday, June 9th, 10 a.m. – 4 p .m. at the George R. Brown Convention Center. The workshop, underwritten by CenterPoint Energy, is free and open to the general public. It will instruct families how to prepare for a hurricane, evacuate safely, and recover from damages. Topics for businesses will include how to react quickly, communicate with employees, and return to business-as-usual. There will also be informative exhibits.
Be prepared! Planning and preparation will become essential to protecting property, reducing risk and ultimately, saving your life!
For more information about hurricane preparedness, residents are asked to visit the following websites:
www.redcross.org/services/prepare/0,1082,0_253_,00.html
www.fema.gov/hazard/hurricane/index.shtm
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