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FEMA and NOAA Encourage Preparedness for the 2016 Hurricane Season

 
FEMA and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) are continuing their partnership to increase public awareness of the hazards posed by hurricanes and the steps we can all take to be better prepared. May 15 through 21 is Hurricane Preparedness Week in preparation for the Atlantic hurricane season beginning on June 1.
 
Hurricanes not only affect coastal communities, but also can have significant impacts hundreds of miles inland. It only takes one to change your life and your community. As Hurricanes Sandy and Isaac remind us, it is not just major hurricanes (Category 3 or higher) that we need to worry about. All hurricanes could potentially cause significant damage.
 
FEMA and NOAA are asking for your help to increase awareness and to motivate individuals, families, businesses and communities to know their risk, get prepared and stay informed before hurricane season. We have a 2016 Hurricane Seasonal Preparedness Digital Toolkit that includes resources to aid our partners in spreading the word. Within the toolkit you will find: key messages; templates for letters to employees, press releases, and blog posts; social media tools and sample messages; and resource links, including infographics, videos, and other materials.
 
What can you do to get ready? Knowing your risk, getting prepared and staying informed are just a few steps people can take to get ready for hurricane season:
 
Know Your Risk: To search for general information about risks in your area, visit www.ready.gov and search for your state. Check out NOAA’s historical hurricane tracks tool to check the severity and frequency of past hurricanes in your area. 
 
Get Prepared: As the storm approaches, it is often too late to get ready. Before hurricane season, make sure you:
 • Know your zone: Evacuations are more common than people realize. Make yourself familiar with your community’s evacuation zones, so you’ll know exactly where to go. Remember: if a hurricane threatens your community and local officials say it's time to evacuate, don't hesitate -- go early.  
 • Complete a family communication plan: Plan how you will assemble your family and loved ones, and anticipate where you will go for different situations. Get together with your family and agree on the ways to contact one another in an emergency, identify meeting locations, and make a Family Emergency Communication Plan.
 • Download the FEMA app: The FEMA app includes disaster resources, weather alerts, safety tips, and a new feature that will enable users to receive push notifications to their devices to prepare their homes and families for disasters. The app also provides a customizable checklist of emergency supplies, maps of open shelters and recovery centers, tips on how to survive disasters, and weather alerts from the National Weather Service.  
 • Check your insurance coverage: Hurricanes can cause flooding, the most frequent and costly disaster in the United States. Damages caused by flooding are not covered under normal homeowner’s insurance policies. Visit www.floodsmart.gov to assess your risks, get an estimated annual flood insurance premium for your home, and get connected to agents in your area.
 
Stay Informed: Know where to go for trusted sources of information during a hurricane event. Sign up for alerts from your local emergency management office so notifications, including evacuation orders, go directly to your phone and email. Monitor local news for hurricane watches and warnings in your area and follow directions of local officials.