Today marks the beginning of the Atlantic Hurricane Season and emergency preparedness leaders say there’s no better time than the present to begin preparations for the 2022 season.
“Just because we’ve had storms over the past couple of years, doesn’t mean we’ll necessarily catch a break this year. We all hope we do but we have to be ready,” said Mike Steele, Communications Director at the Governor’s Office of Homeland Security and Emergency Preparedness.
The last two hurricane seasons have also been unique because of COVID, congregate shelters were not viable. However, this season Steele said the plan is to return to congregate shelters but if COVID cases increase that plan could be revised.
Steele encourages residents to take advantage of the blue skies to work out a plan long before a hurricane or tropical storm is headed their way. And one of the best ways to be prepared is to visit GetAGamePlan.Org for a checklist.
“And you can find a two-page checklist with all the supplies that you should be stocking up on and some of the things you may not think of,” said Steele.
Another item you want to check off your list is to review your hurricane insurance coverage and know what and what isn’t covered. Steele said that way you’ll know if you need to update your policy beforehand.
And after two devastating seasons in a row, Steele said thousands of residents in Lake Charles and southeastern Louisiana remain in temporary housing…
“The main advice we can give people right now is to listen to your local emergency managers. If evacuations are ordered and you’re asked to leave, those units have to stay in place. You can’t take those units with you,” said Steele.
Steele said if you have a loved one that would have difficulty evacuating it’s best to develop a plan well before a storm is on the horizon to assist them.
This is also a good time of year to check that your generator is in working order ahead of possible prolonged power outages.