Harris County Urges Residents to Prepare in Advance of Hurricane Season
Harris County Commissioners Court has designated May 7-13, 2017 as Hurricane Preparedness Week and urges residents to prepare in advance of the upcoming hurricane season. Throughout the week, the Harris County Office of Homeland Security & Emergency Management (HCOHSEM) will be promoting preparedness and offering safety tips.
“Now is the time to make sure you have an emergency plan in place for you, your family, your pets and your business,” said Harris County Judge Ed Emmett. “We have been spared from major storms for several years now, but it is only a matter of time before another storm threatens our area.”
HCOHSEM works with local, state and federal emergency management partners to prepare our communities for disasters of all types, but it is up to each person/family to know their risks and plan for their individual needs. Some safety precautions include:
- 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 trees and branches trimmed near your home
- Secure loose objects before severe weather moves in
HCOHSEM’s ReadyHarris app sends emergency alerts, provides a step-by-step guide for building a personalized family disaster plan, offers survival tip sheets, maps evacuation routes and locates local emergency services. Download this free app from the App Store or Google Play.
“Every minute counts when severe weather, or any emergency, threatens our community,” said Harris County Judge Ed Emmett. “The ReadyHarris app empowers residents to make a personal plan and receive life-saving information at their fingertips.”
The Atlantic hurricane season runs from June 1 to November 30, but it got an early start with the formation of the short-lived Tropical Storm Arlene in April. This rare tropical storm is a reminder that potential severe weather events are not governed by the calendar. Harris County residents are faced with natural and man-made threats daily, so preparedness is important every day of the year.
Go to ReadyHarris.org to sign up for emergency alerts and follow us on Facebook and Twitter.