FEMA Urges Gulf Coast Residents to be Prepared for Tropical Storm Karen, Follow Direction of Local Officials

FEMA Recalling Certain Furloughed Employees

WASHINGTON – The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), through its regional offices in Atlanta, Ga. and Denton, Texas is monitoring the conditions of Tropical Storm Karen and staying in close coordination with officials in Gulf Coast states.

“Gulf Coast residents in potentially impacted areas should take steps now to be prepared and follow the direction of local officials,” said FEMA Administrator Craig Fugate. “FEMA will continue to support our state and local partners as they prepare for any potential impacts.”

Based on applicable legal requirements and consistent with its contingency plan, FEMA has begun to recall currently-furloughed employees necessary to serve functions of the agency that protect life and property as they prepare for potential landfall of Tropical Storm Karen. This morning, FEMA re-activated the Hurricane Liaison Team that is embedded with the National Hurricane Center in Miami.

FEMA is in close coordination with state and local partners through its regional offices. At all times, FEMA maintains commodities, including millions of liters of water, millions of meals and hundreds of thousands of blankets, strategically located at distribution centers throughout the United States, including in the Gulf Coast region, that are available to state and local partners if needed and requested.

According to the National Weather Service, a hurricane watch is currently in effect from Grand Isle, La. eastward to Indian Pass, Fla. A hurricane watch means that hurricane conditions are possible within the watch area. A watch is typically issues 48 hours before the anticipated first occurrence of tropical storm-force winds.

A tropical storm watch is in effect from west of Grand Isle, to east of Morgan City, La; metropolitan New Orleans, Lake Maurepas and Lake Pontchartrain. A tropical storm watch means that tropical storm conditions are possible within the watch area – generally within 48 hours.

Gulf Coast residents are encouraged to:

Listen to the instructions of local officials. Local officials make decisions on sheltering in place or going to your pre-designated safe meeting location.

Have important supplies ready to sustain you and your family, if needed. This includes water, a battery-powered radio, flashlight, extra batteries, cell phone charger, medicines, non-perishable food, and first aid supplies.

Stay up-to-date with the latest forecast. Follow local radio and TV reports, as well as forecasts from the National Weather Service, weather.gov.

For more information on preparing for hurricanes and other disasters, and what you can do to protect yourself and your family, visit www.Ready.gov or www.listo.gov on the Internet. Information regarding emergency preparedness and what to do before and after a disaster can also be found at m.fema.gov or by downloading the FEMA app from your smartphone’s app store.

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.

Follow FEMA online at www.fema.gov/blog, 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 are provided for reference only. FEMA does not endorse any non-government websites, companies or applications.