Editorial

It's hurricane season — be prepared

Posted

Hurricane season in the Atlantic began June 1 and stretches for six months, until Nov. 30. It’s time to make sure you’re prepared.

Start off by learning what your risks are for storm surge, flooding and wind based on where you live. Take heed of the alerts announced by the weather services, town or village: a hurricane watch means conditions are favorable for the development of a serious storm, so you should be alert, be aware of the threat and prepare for action. A warning means the threat is imminent. That’s when you should grab your emergency kit and take immediate action.

Hurricane watches are usually issued 48 hours before a storm, giving you time to make last-minute preparations and evacuate. Meteorologists at the National Hurricane Center advise beginning evacuation when the first watches are issued, or even earlier. For a major storm, like Hurricane Sandy was, they advise leaving five days prior to the storm’s arrival so you can get yourself and your loved ones out of harm’s way and find shelter.

Take the time now to develop a plan. Where will you and your family go in the event of a storm? Plan a safe evacuation route, learn the location of emergency shelters or, if you plan to stay with friends or relatives, establish an evacuation timetable with them. Because the call to evacuate could come when children are in school and parents are at work, be sure to plan for sheltering apart.

Designate a person outside the area to act as communications coordinator. When possible, have every family member check in with that person instead of trying to reach one another. Phones — landlines and cells — may not work once the storm hits, and there may be no or only spotty Internet connections. There may be no electricity, so be sure to alert your contact person before you begin your evacuation, and check back in as soon as you can. Make evacuation plans for your pets as well.

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