News: Be Prepared and Stay Alert During Hurricane Season
August 20, 2008
Hurricane season is now in full swing and the Coastal Health District encourages residents in Bryan, Camden, Chatham, Effingham, Glynn, Liberty, Long, and McIntosh Counties to be prepared.
Tropical Storm Fay, now making it’s way across the Florida peninsula, serves as a reminder that coastal Georgia residents should stay prepared during hurricane season by:
• Putting together a disaster preparedness kit that includes bottled water (3 to 5 day supply), canned or non-perishable food, hand sanitizer and/or hygienic wipes, personal hygiene items such as soap, blankets, a flashlight, extra batteries, and prescription medicines.
• Making sure you have flood insurance (provided through the Federal Emergency Management Agency; however, there is a 30-day waiting period before flood insurance goes into effect).
• Staying alert and listening to radio and television reports as bad weather approaches.
• Being prepared to turn of electricity and gas to your home.
• Staying away from downed power lines during a storm.
• Making sure your car is filled with gas should evacuation be necessary.
• Communicating evacuation plans with neighbors and family members.
• Avoiding driving in any areas that could flood (two feet of water can carry away most vehicles).
Hurricane season always brings with it the possibility of dangerous weather. Preparing early and heeding the advice of emergency preparedness agencies is the best bet for safely making it through any storm.
For more information on preparing for a flood or hurricane, go to www.emergency.cdc.gov/disasters and also visit our Hurricane Preparedness page.
WWW Address: http://www.gachd.org/news/be_prepared_and_stay_alert_dur.php