FEMA ENCOURAGES PEOPLE TO PREPARE NOW FOR THE 2017 ATLANTIC HURRICANE SEASON

The Atlantic hurricane season began in June, and there is no better time to get ready than now. The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) encourages residents and businesses across the nation to prepare by understanding their risk, planning together for the entire family, and downloading the FEMA App.
The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) Climate Prediction Center seasonal outlook for 2017, released last week, states that the Atlantic could see an abovenormal hurricane season this year. The full seasonal forecast is linked at www.noaa.gov/media-release/above-normalatlantic- hurricane-season-is-most-likely-year. Both hurricanes and tropical systems have the potential to cause serious damage to coastal and inland areas. Their hazards could come in many forms including storm surge, heavy rainfall, coastal and inland flooding, high winds, and tornadoes.
“The time to prepare for hurricanes and tropical storms is now, before a threat even exists,” said FEMA Acting Administrator Robert J. Fenton, Jr. “We want people who live in coastal and nearby inland areas to know where they can get reliable information; prepare their home and workplace ahead of time; know if they live in an evacuation zone and be familiar with evacuation routes. Knowing what to do and practicing your plan now can make the difference between life and death if a hurricane or tropical storm does strike.”
There is a lot of information available to help individuals and communities prepare: Learn Your Flood Risk: Flooding is the nation’s most frequent and costly natural disaster. Go to FloodSmart.gov and learn how to protect your home or business. Purchase a flood insurance policy if you do not already have one. Make A Plan: Residents should speak with their family today about how they will communicate with each other during a significant weather event when they may not be together, or during an evacuation order.
Download the FEMA App: The FEMA App contains important information on what to do before, during, and after a hurricane. The App also allows users to receive weather alerts from NOAA’s National Weather Service, includes lifesaving safety tips, and provides access to disaster resources should survivors need them. The App is available in the Apple App store or the Google Play store.
Know your evacuation zone: Evacuation zones are areas that may be impacted by hurricane flooding. Many communities designate evacuation zones and routes to get citizens to safety. This information is typically found on the websites of state, county, or town emergency management offices. If a hurricane threatens a community and local officials say it’s time to evacuate, residents should evacuate immediately. Do not wait for the next forecast.
While much attention is often given to the Atlantic hurricane season, there are tropical systems that can affect many other areas around the nation. To learn more about hurricane seasons in the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans, visit www.hurricanes.gov. To learn more on how to prepare before, during, and after a hurricane, visit www.ready.gov.
Additional tips and resources:
• www.ready.gov/animals
• www.ready.gov/business
• www.ready.gov/alerts
FEMA’s mission is to support our citizens and first responders to ensure that as a nation we work together to build, sustain, and improve our capability to prepare for, protect against, respond to, recover from, and mitigate all hazards.