As Harris County continues to recover from Hurricane Harvey, officials remind residents that the start of the 2018 Hurricane Season is less than a month away. The Harris County Office of Homeland Security & Emergency Management (HCOHSEM) is once again urging everyone to prepare in advance of June
“By preparing now, residents can protect themselves and their families from the damaging impacts of a storm,” said Harris County Judge Ed Emmett. “Area residents can prepare by developing a personalized plan, creating a disaster supply kit, and staying informed.”
HCOHSEM encourages everyone to begin preparing early by taking the following precautions:
• Discuss and practice an emergency plan with your family
• Sign up to receive weather and emergency alerts
• Assemble an emergency supplies kit that includes a NOAA weather radio
• Have an emergency bag ready to go with important documents in case you need to evacuate
• Keep your vehicle’s gas tank full
• Trim trees and branches that can easily fall on your home or vehicle
• Secure loose objects outside your house before severe weather moves in
“It is impossible to precisely predict where storms will form or hit, so it is important that everyone prepares,” added Emmett. "As we all know, it only takes one storm to devastate a community.”
Assess your risks now and know your home's vulnerability to hurricane hazards. Contact your insurance agent for information about flood insurance. Understand National Weather Service (NWS) forecast products and the meaning of NWS watches and warnings.
Check the Zip Zone Evacuation Map or contact your city or county officials to find out if your home is in an evacuation zone. If you will need transportation or help evacuating, sign up with the State of Texas Emergency Assistance Registry or call 2-1-1.
Remember to prepare an emergency kit for your pets and a plan for how to care for them when you are on the road, in a shelter or motel. Please do not leave your pets behind!
Hurricane season begins June 1 and runs through November 30. Go to ReadyHarris.org to sign up for emergency alerts and follow Harris County’s Office of Emergency Management on Facebook and Twitter.
