(Smyrna) – The Delaware Emergency Management Agency (DEMA) reminds residents that hurricane season along the Atlantic coast begins on Sunday, June 1st, and runs through the end of November. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s (NOAA) Climate Prediction Center says there is a 70% chance that the Atlantic hurricane season will bring six to eleven named storms, and that three to six will become hurricanes with two of them coming between categories 3 and 5.
While the prediction is for a below-normal season, forecasters cannot predict exactly where any of the anticipated storms will impact the Atlantic coast. The time to prepare for seasonal storms is now, before a storm arrives. Preparatory actions taken in advance will help save lives and property if a tropical storm or hurricane affects Delaware in 2015.
Emergency Preparedness kits should be in every household. The basics of food, water, and supplies should be included. Important information such as insurance policies and physician phone numbers need to also be included. Power outages may render credit cards and ATMs useless so a supply of cash should be in the emergency kit.
Residents of coastal or flood-prone areas need to have an evacuation plan. Make arrangements now to stay away from the affected areas with friends or relatives, or at a hotel. If a shelter is the only option, make sure to have the basic supplies for a few days in the shelter. Take sleeping bags, pillows, blankets and personal hygiene supplies. If sheltering with children, games that do not require batteries and books can help pass the time. Baby foods and diapers should be included if appropriate.
Home supplies include water – at least a gallon per day for a minimum of three days. Food supplies should include at least a three-day supply of non-perishable items. Since there may be power outages that could last for several days following a storm, it is a good idea to stock canned foods, dry mixes, and other staples that do not require refrigeration, cooking, water, or special preparation. Be sure to include a manual can opener and eating utensils. Paper plates and plastic utensils are disposable and do not require washing. Make sure to refill prescriptions that are about to expire before the storm arrives, as pharmacies may be closed due to power outages.
For a listing of supplies that should be part of an emergency kit, go online to www.ready.gov and click on “Build a Kit”.
Families should prepare a communication plan since members may be separated during the storm. The communication plan may include a means of letting friends and relatives know that people have arrived safely at their destination in the event of an evacuation.
An emergency kit containing the recommended items is ready for use in all types of emergencies, including hurricanes and tropical storms. Regular utilities such as electricity, gas, sewage treatment, and telephone service, may be unavailable for several days, so the emergency kit will help people get through any outages.
For more tips on how to prepare your family and home for tropical storms or hurricanes, log on to http://www.ready.gov/hurricanes.