Tip of the Week…Hurricanes are on Their Way

Yesterday NOAA released their hurricane predictions for the 2010 season. They were ominous. Hurricanes are fed by warm waters and the water temperature in the Atlantic this year is above normal all the way up the eastern coast of the United States. Making this an even more serious and frightening problem is the addition of the oil spill in the Gulf. Several weeks ago thew water temperature in the gulf was 3-4 degrees below normal. Today the temperature is above normal. Is this the result of the oil? No one seems to know. Can you imagine the mess and the dangers of having storm surges which carry the oil far inland? We are now hearing the slick could move around Florida and make it’s way up the Atlantic coast. NOAA is warning us to prepare for a serious season.

In one of the emails I received with a survivor’s story Nicole mentioned she wished she had done more to warn her friends and clients before the blizzard this past winter. We all need to do all we can to warn everyone of the dangers and steps they should be taking to prepare for hurricanes this summer. It is time to begin forwarding posts from this blog and other reliable source, as well as encouraging others to join our yahoo group to learn and the ask questions. Don’t regret later not taking the time to get the word out.

The NOAA website states:” An “active to extremely active” hurricane season is expected for the Atlantic Basin this year according to the seasonal outlook issued today by NOAA– Climate Prediction Center a division of the National Weather Service. As with every hurricane season, this outlook underscores the importance of having a hurricane preparedness plan in place.

Across the entire Atlantic Basin for the six-month season, which begins June 1, NOAA is projecting a 70 percent probability of the following ranges:

• 14 to 23 Named Storms (top winds of 39 mph or higher) Average is: 10
• 8 to 14 Hurricanes (top winds of 74 mph or higher), of which: Average is: 6
• 3 to 7 could be Major Hurricanes (Category 3, 4 or 5; winds of at least 111 mph) Average is: 3

“If this outlook holds true, this season could be one of the more active on record,” said Jane Lubchenco, Ph.D., under secretary of commerce for oceans and atmosphere and NOAA administrator. “The greater likelihood of storms brings an increased risk of a landfall. In short, we urge everyone to be prepared.” “(items in red added by me)

Today let’s make sure we all have, and all of our friends and family have, an out of state or out of area contact person. This should be someone who lives a minimum of fifty miles away. After Katerina power was out fifty miles away.

A great Out of State Contact will:

1. Live 50 or more miles from your home

2. Be willing to house your family during a crisis

3. Have a home large enough for your family to fit comfortably or have tents, camping equipment, motor home etc. to help with housing.

4. Be willing to act on your behalf by:

• Calling everyone on your contact list

• Relaying messages between you and all family members

• Safeguarding copies of important documents and family photos

• Fax/Email copies of documents and family photos to first responders, hospitals, rescue agencies, insurance agents, doctors and others.

This week send this post to everyone on your contact list, post a link on facebook, tweet, or call but please get the word out. Next week we will work on another aspect of preparing for hurricanes, and other emergencies.

Remember emergency preparedness = emergency management. If you are prepared you can manage any emergency!

http://www.noaanews.noaa.gov/stories2010/20100527_hurricaneoutlook.html

Join Our Yahoo Group: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/TotallyReady/

Subscribe to our Newsletter: http://blog.totallyready.com/announcing-the-totally-ready-newsletter/

One Response to “Tip of the Week…Hurricanes are on Their Way”

1. debbie says:

   May 31, 2010 at 4:34 pm

   A tree fell through my house during Gustav. The best advice I can give anyone is to have a house inventory. Insurance companies require a list of damaged items, where purchased, and purchase price. This would save you a ton of time. Make sure your camera batteries are charged for pictures that must be included in your claim. It took me 1 1/2 hours to travel about 6 miles to put things in a storage unit because of traffic and downed traffic lights. So, a full tank of gas is a must. Also, buy large trash bags because you can’t find boxes to put your belongings in.