Hurricane Preparedness – Put Your Plan In Place
The hurricane season is now beginning in South Texas, and it is important to get your plan in place. Being prepared for hurricane season can help keep your family stay safe. The season officially began on June 1 and will end on November 30th. It is during this time that most of the tropical cyclones form in the Atlantic Basin. Among these are the ones that tend to pose a threat to the United States.
Nueces County is included among the fourteen Tier One, Texas coastal counties along the Gulf of Mexico. This means that these counties are most likely to be affected if a hurricane makes landfall. It is important that our area, as well as all Texans, prepare for hurricanes by staying informed, creating a disaster plan and following necessary steps to keep their families safe and secure.
When hurricanes make landfall or get close to land, they can affect the lives of thousands of Texans along the coast, as well as across the state of Texas. There are many helpful steps on being prepared in case of a hurricane. Some of these tips include putting together and establishing a family disaster response plan. A family disaster response plan includes planning for the hazards and complications that can originate from a tropical event. Depending on your geographical proximity to the ocean, your vulnerability to storm surges, flooding and wind related actions should be reviewed. You should locate places in your house that can function as potential safe rooms, and also determine where to store items if a hurricane-related hazard develops. It is important that families determine evacuation and escape routes from your home along with places to meet in case of an emergency. Don’t forget to plan for taking care of your pets in case of evacuation.
In addition, it is important that families create a disaster supply kit. A disaster supply kit can include blankets, pillows, seasonal clothing and special items for infants and the elderly. Other important items like flashlights, batteries, telephones, radios and sufficient tools in case of an emergency. It is also important to have a good first aid kit with medicines and prescription drugs ready and organized.
iving along the coastline also means preparing for hurricanes by retrofitting your home. It is important to strengthen the outside of your home so that wind and objects are less likely to tear openings in your roof or walls. Some people may want to find out about flood insurance.
In addition to getting your family, pets and homes safe and prepared, there are various state websites for hurricane preparedness and evacuation, as well as telephone hotlines. The National Flood Insurance is a pre-disaster flood program designed to reduce flood disasters. The National Flood Insurance program can be called at 1-888-379-9531. Some important contacts include Statewide Road Conditions which can be called at 1-800-452-9292 and going to Texas Online – The Official Portal of Texas.
You can also go to my website, which will provide you links, websites to various sources for hurricane preparedness, planning for an evacuation, tips on hurricane preparedness as well as state and federal government resources. Also, if you are elderly or disabled and need hurricane evacuation assistance, you can call 2-1-1. This service will assist you in hurricane evacuation.
If you have questions regarding any of the information mentioned in this week’s article, please do not hesitate to call my Capitol or District Office. Please always feel free to contact my office if you have any questions or issues regarding a Texas state agency, or if you would like to contact my office regarding constituent services. As always, my offices are available at any time to assist with questions, concerns or comments (Capitol Office, 512-463-0672; District Office, 361-949-4603).
– State Representative Todd Hunter, District 32
Rep. Hunter represents Nueces County (Part). He can be contacted at todd.hunter@house.state.tx.us or at 512-463-0672.
