Flood Barrier USA

Hurricane Preparedness Week

Author: Donna Conneely

After several years of suffering through unusually severe hurricanes in the US, the 2012 hurricane season is shaping up to revert back to the normal pattern — almost. Because the past few years have presented such an abnormally high number of hurricanes, tropical storms, and flooding, this year’s threats may seem mild by comparison. But the season will not be a walk in the park by any means, and weather predictions have been known to be wrong.

The milder forecast for 2012 does not mean that those living or working in flood-prone areas can relax. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) continues to urge home and business owners to remain prepared for storms and flooding throughout the hurricane season, which begins on June 1st. The NOAA has several publications that can help with the development of emergency plans and flood protection measures.

Sunday, June 3rd, marked the beginning of National Hurricane Preparedness Week, which serves each year as a reminder to review plans and procedures before a hurricane strikes. One of the first steps towards preparedness is to assess risks and vulnerabilities in the home or business. Once a vulnerability is identified, options for ameliorating the weakness may be considered.

Flood protection measures put into place in advance of the storm may save money many times over, and more importantly — may save lives. The National Weather Service is responsible for providing a warning as storms approach, but every adult in the path of the storm is responsible for making sound decisions once the alarm is sounded. Having a plan in place in advance is critically important, and Hurricane Preparedness Week is an excellent time to review emergency plans and make any needed changes or preparations.

This entry was posted on Monday, June 18th, 2012 at 10:33 pm and is filed under Flood Protection. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.