News Release

FEMA, NOAA MARK THE BEGINNING OF NATIONAL HURRICANE PREPAREDNESS WEEK

If You Haven't Already, Visit www.Ready.gov to Prepare for Hurricanes and Other Hazards

WASHINGTON -- The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) are partnering once again to get the message out about the importance of preparedness for hurricanes and other possible disasters. FEMA is aggressively preparing for the upcoming hurricane season and has been working closely with other federal, state, local, and tribal partners, the private sector, faith-based and voluntary organizations, and most importantly, the public, to get ready.

President Obama recently designated May 22-28, 2011, as National Hurricane Preparedness Week, and called upon all Americans, especially those in hurricane prone areas as well as inland areas, to learn more about how to protect themselves against hurricanes and to work together, as a whole community, to respond to and recover from them. The Atlantic and Central Pacific Hurricane Season runs from June 1-November 30. The Eastern Pacific Hurricane Season began on May 15.

FEMA continues to work with state, local, tribal, federal and private sector partners to increase preparedness and coordinate response and recovery in the case of a hurricane or other disaster. FEMA also urges Americans to use this week as an annual reminder to assess their personal readiness to respond to emergencies. Our team can only be as prepared as the public is prepared, which is why it's important that people living in hurricane-prone areas take steps to prepare and protect their family.

"We never know where the next hurricane or disaster will strike, but what we do know is that being prepared can make a world of difference, for individuals and their larger communities," said FEMA Administrator Craig Fugate. "In hurricane prone areas as well as inland areas, we urge the entire community to prepare now. There are a number of steps individuals, families, communities, churches and businesses can take to better protect themselves against hurricanes and other disasters."

"Having a personal hurricane plan is not just for those living along the coast. Inland areas are just as vulnerable to the effects from hurricanes, including damaging winds, tornadoes, and especially, flooding," said Bill Read, director, NOAA's National Hurricane Center.

Throughout the entire hurricane season it is important to know the risk for the area in which you are in and to stay informed of the latest weather information. Having a battery-powered radio, like a NOAA Weather Radio is a critical first step. Also, everyone, including those living well inland, should be prepared by checking personal preparations such as emergency kit supplies and knowing emergency evacuation routes. More information on how we can all be prepared for this hurricane season can be found by visiting www.Ready.gov/hurricanes.

Businesses have a vital role in preparedness as well. Putting a disaster plan in motion now will improve the likelihood that your company may recover from a disaster faster. Ready Business outlines commonsense measures business owners and managers can take to start getting ready.

For more information on how we can all be prepared for this hurricane season, visit www.Ready.gov/hurricanes.

For information about the hurricane outlooks and National Hurricane Preparedness Week, visit http://www.nhc.noaa.gov/outreach/prepared_week.shtml

Click here to view the Presidential Proclamation on National Hurricane Preparedness Week.

Follow FEMA online at http://blog.fema.gov, www.twitter.com/fema, www.facebook.com/fema, and www.youtube.com/fema. Also, follow Administrator Craig Fugate's activities at www.twitter.com/craigatfema. The social media links provided are for reference only.

FEMA's mission is to support our citizens and first responders to ensure that as a nation we work together to build, sustain, and improve our capability to prepare for, protect against, respond to, recover from, and mitigate all hazards.