Preparation is Key for Hurricane Season
May 26, 2015
Hurricane season is upon us in the United States, and the National Weather Service encourages everyone to learn more about and prepare for hurricanes. This week we are highlighting Hurricane Preparedness Week to ensure we are ready for the possibility of hurricanes.
Hurricane hazards can happen in several different ways including storm surge, heavy rainfall, inland flooding, high winds, tornadoes and rip currents. Hurricanes can occur throughout all of the Atlantic and Gulf of Mexico coastal areas, while parts of the Southwest United States and the Pacific Coast can also experience heavy rains and floods each year as a result of hurricanes.
If you live or go to school in a hurricane risk area, international students and school officials should have a preparedness plan in place and be aware of free resources available to them.
You can use information from the Federal Emergency Management Agency and the Ready campaign to help prepare, such as:
- Be informed: Make sure you are aware of weather possibilities in your local area. Are you traveling or living in an area that is prone to tropical weather during hurricane season? Do you live near a river that may cause severe flooding? You should sign up for local and national alerts to get constant updates on expected weather events.
- Make a plan: If a weather emergency were to happen, you need to know where you can go for safety. If you are an international student, you should know how to contact your designated school official (DSO), classmates, family or other school officials in case of emergency. If you are a DSO, make sure international students have your contact information, including your telephone number and email address, in case they need to contact you in the event of an emergency.
- Build a kit: You should have a kit ready in case you need to quickly leave your home. The kit should include water, food, first aid items and other basic disaster supplies.
- Get involved: Be involved by starting your own preparedness project, community planning or volunteer effort after an event has taken place.
Visit Ready.gov to find specific information about making a preparedness plan at your school campuses. To find out more about Hurricane Preparedness Week and free available resources, visit the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration website. Share this news on social media with your students and classmates using #HurricanePrep.