National Preparedness Month Comes During Deadly Storm Season

September 27, 2021

Each September, we’re reminded by federal and local agencies about National Preparedness Month. Extreme weather events are our new norm, especially in the last three years, with longer and more devastating fire, hurricane, and tornado seasons. Just this year, Texans across the state were hit with a blizzard that knocked out their power grid, making access to heat, food, and water exceptionally difficult.

More recently, Hurricane Ida, similar to its predecessors, brought flooding, knocked out power grids, and will require our assistance and planning to reduce the impact of the next hurricane to hit our coasts. To help you and your family begin preparing for the next storm season, here are some of the tips from Ready.Gov to help you become disaster ready:

• Talk to your friends and family about how you will communicate before, during, and after a disaster. Make sure to update your plan based on the Centers for Disease Control recommendations due to the Coronavirus.
• Gather supplies that will last for several days after a disaster for everyone living in your home. Don’t forget to consider the unique needs each person or pet may have in case you have to evacuate quickly. Update your kits and supplies based on recommendations by the Centers for Disease Control.
• Natural disasters don’t wait for a convenient time. Preparing for them shouldn’t wait either. Start today by signing up for alerts, safeguarding important documents, and taking other low cost and no cost preparedness actions to lessen the impact of disasters and emergencies for you and your family.
• Talk to your family about preparing for emergencies and what to do in case you are separated. Reassure them by providing information about how they can get involved.