Avian Flu Diary: Hurricane Preparedness Week: Day 6

# 5580

Today is day six of National Hurricane Preparedness Week, and the focus today is on preparedness.

One of the toughest jobs for emergency planners is to get the public to prepare for a disaster while the sun is still shining. Until a threat looms large, most people simply don’t bother.

But by that time, it may be too late.

Essential items often disappear from store shelves in advance of a storm, and frankly, it takes time and serious thought to decide what really is important, and what isn’t.

Now, before a storm approaches, is the time to prepare.

Craig Fugate, Director of FEMA, brings us today’s PSA on preparing for the storm.

You’ll also find a series of informative hurricane blogs on the FEMA Blog Site this week, including:

May 26, 2011

First there were Zombies; then came Hurricanes!

Posted by: Craig Fugate, FEMA Administrator and Ali S. Khan, Assistant Surgeon General and Director, Office of Public Health Preparedness and Response, CDC

With June 1 only days away, FEMA, CDC and the rest of the team are busy preparing for the upcoming hurricane season. And now that you’ve taken the necessary precautions to prepare for a zombie apocalypse, you can start preparing for hurricane season, too. In recognition of Hurricane Preparedness Week, we want to remind you of some simple steps you can take. The same steps that we described in our zombie post (get a kit, make a plan, be informed) are key to getting prepared for a hurricane as well.

Get a Kit and Stock Up

(Continue . . . )

Ready.gov and the FEMA website have numerous resources available to help you and your family create, and implement, a disaster plan.

And NOAA joins in in reminding coastal residents, it is important to . . .

"Preventing the loss of life and minimizing the damage to property from hurricanes are responsibilities that are shared by all."

Throughout this Web site, information has been provided regarding actions that you can take based on specific hurricane hazards. The most important thing that you can do is to be informed and prepared. Disaster prevention includes both being prepared as well as reducing damages (mitigation).

Disaster Prevention should include:

Developing a Family Plan

Creating a Disaster Supply Kit

Having a Place to Go

Securing your Home

Having a Pet Plan

Last March NOAA, FEMA, and the American Red Cross released an updated preparedness guide for the 2011 tropical season.

Although only 12 pages in length, this colorful PDF file packs a lot of clear, concise information on tropical storms and the threats they contain; winds, floods, surge tides, and tornadoes.

To become better prepared as an individual, family, business owner, or community to deal with hurricanes, or any other type of disaster: visit the following preparedness sites.