September is National Preparedness Month, an annual campaign encouraging families and communities to prepare before emergencies occur. Here are three things Glen Cove residents should know:
Make a household emergency plan
Every household should decide how family members will communicate, where they will meet and what they will do if they must evacuate or shelter at home.
Families should choose an out-of-area contact who can relay information if local phone service is disrupted. They should also learn evacuation routes and plan for children, older adults, people with disabilities and pets.
Assemble supplies ahead of time
An emergency kit should contain water, nonperishable food, flashlights, batteries, a battery-powered radio, first-aid supplies and copies of important documents. Residents should also include necessary medication, chargers, cash, sanitation products and supplies for children and pets.
Nassau County recommends keeping enough provisions to last several days. A smaller “go bag” containing essential items can also be prepared in case a household must leave quickly.
Because Glen Cove can experience heavy rain and flooding, documents should be kept in waterproof containers and valuables moved to higher levels when necessary.
Never walk, swim or drive through floodwater. Six inches of moving water can knock someone down, while a foot can carry away a vehicle.
Sign up for emergency notifications
Reliable information can help residents respond quickly when storms, flooding, power failures or other emergencies affect Glen Cove.
The city operates an emergency-notification system that sends registered residents information about local emergencies. Nassau County also uses NY-Alert to distribute notifications by telephone, text message and email.
Residents should monitor announcements from the City of Glen Cove, Nassau County’s Office of Emergency Management and the National Weather Service. Power-outage information and restoration estimates are available through PSEG Long Island.
Call 911 when police, firefighters or medical assistance is needed immediately. The Glen Cove Police Department can be reached at (516) 676-1000. City Hall can be reached at (516) 676-2000.
