PHILADELPHIA - On July 31st, the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) Region 3 hosted a media tour of the Regional Response Coordination Center (RRCC) led by Regional Administrator MaryAnn Tierney to highlight the importance of preparedness ahead of the peak of hurricane season.
Region 3 Administrator MaryAnn Tierney talks about hurricane preparation during media tour of the Regional Response Coordination Center.
In June, the National Weather Service issued its 2023 Hurricane Season outlook, which predicted a near-normal Atlantic Hurricane Season. The Atlantic Hurricane Season runs from June 1 through Nov. 30, with most activity occurring between mid-August and mid-October.
Peak season storms such as Tropical Storm Isaias in August 2020 and Hurricane Ida in September 2021 had devastating impacts on parts of the region including Delaware, Maryland, and Pennsylvania. Hurricanes are not just a coastal threat. They can bring heavy rain, flooding, and high winds to communities inland as well.
“Hurricanes today are developing faster and intensifying more rapidly than they have in the past," said FEMA Region 3 Administrator MaryAnn Tierney. “We’re seeing more tornadoes across the mid-Atlantic than we have in the past as well as increased risk of inland flooding far from the coast. Individuals and communities should know their risk and start planning now for how to get emergency information and what to do when severe weather strikes.
Preparedness is a whole community effort. FEMA works year-round in close partnership with state and local emergency managers to ensure individuals and communities are prepared for when storms hit the region. It only takes one storm to change your life and your community. That’s why FEMA is encouraging residents to take action now ahead of severe weather.
“Preparing your family today means you’ll be ready when severe weather strikes," said FEMA Region 3 Regional Administrator MaryAnn Tierney. “Ensure your family is ready by creating plan, packing a go-bag, and knowing your evacuation route."
Some of the tips for residents and businesses include:
* Know your flood risk. Just because you don’t live near the coast doesn’t mean you’re not at risk of hurricanes or the remnants of tropical systems. The remnants of tropical systems can also bring tornadoes, extreme rainfall, and life-threatening flooding to areas hundreds of miles inland from the coast.
* FEMA’s Ready Campaign recently published a low and no-cost preparedness webpage with tips to help preparedness for a variety of disasters and emergencies.
* The FEMA App allows you to receive real-time weather alerts, locate emergency shelters in your area, prepare for common hazards, and more.
* Building your emergency supply kit over time, starting with items you may already have in your home -- like a flashlight, extra batteries, copies of important documents, water and non-perishable food.
* Take family members with access and functional needs into account. For people with disabilities and their families, it is important to consider individual circumstances and needs to effectively prepare for emergencies and disasters. Ready.gov/disability has additional resources to help in these planning considerations.
* Storing important documents and items like passports, birth certificates, maps and electronics in a flood-safe place, like a high shelf or upper floor in resealable water-tight plastic bags to help waterproof them.
* Your pets are an important member of your family, so they need to be included in your family’s emergency plan. Ready.gov/Pets has additional considerations for how to prepare your family pets.
* If you have insurance, now is the time to review your policies. Not all policies are the same, so review them to understand what coverage you have. Homeowners insurance does not typically cover flooding, so you may need to purchase flood insurance.
* FEMA’s Ready Business Hurricane Toolkit helps business owners take action to protect employees, protect customers, and help ensure business continuity as well.
* Visit Ready.gov/hurricane for specific additional tips to prepare for hurricane systems.
Source: Department of Homeland Security, Federal Emergency Management Agency