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NOAA, FEMA Launch National Severe Weather Preparedness Week

TRENTON, N.J. — FEMA, in conjunction with the National Oceanic Atmospheric Administration has launched its second annual National Severe Weather Preparedness Week. This week focuses on you, your family and your community being prepared in the event of a disaster.

Each year people are killed or injured due to hurricanes, blizzards or other natural disasters despite early warnings. In 2012, there were more than 450 weather-related fatalities and nearly 2,600 injuries.

Putting together a disaster supply kit is essential to making sure that your family has the provisions needed for each individual. Some kits may need additional items if there are seniors or infants in the house.

Developing an emergency plan is the groundwork for your family to prepare itself if a disaster strikes without warning. Collect information from FEMA and your local emergency management offices

and gather your family members and discuss the information to put in the plan. After the plan is in place, exchange contact information and make sure that it remains current.

As FEMA and other federal partners can support, individuals can contribute to preparing themselves and their community for severe weather in their area. After Sandy, countless New Jerseyans have given their time to helping strangers with anything from providing food and water to clearing debris from the streets. It is this “How can I help?” attitude that speeds up the recovery process and leads to a stronger, more resilient community.

Just as important, NOAA suggests that everyone not only be prepared but inspire others to do the same. NOAA’s “Be a Force of Nature” toolkit offers a variety of ways you can help spread the word among your friends and neighbors to always be prepared for severe weather.

Visit ready.gov/severe-weather or noaa.gov/wrn to learn more about severe weather and to be better prepared.

For more information on New Jersey’s disaster recovery, visit fema.gov/SandyNJ, twitter.com/FEMASandy, facebook.com/FEMASandy and fema.gov/blog.

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 provided are for reference only. FEMA does not endorse any non-government websites, companies or applications.

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NOAA, FEMA Launch National Severe Weather Preparedness Week

Atlantic Hurricane Season Begins Today

Release Date: June 1, 2012
Release Number: HQ-12-041

MIAMI, Fla. — Secretary of Homeland Security Janet Napolitano today joined FEMA Administrator Craig Fugate, Deputy Administrator Rich Serino, NOAA National Hurricane Center Director Bill Read and Florida Governor Rick Scott to discuss the 2012 Atlantic hurricane season outlook and preparedness measures with leadership of hurricane-prone states.

“We may not know exactly what Mother Nature will bring this year, but we are leaning forward in our preparations, utilizing the ‘Whole Community Approach’,” said Secretary Napolitano. “As part of this approach, we are engaging the broadest possible set of partners in our preparedness efforts—integrating planning across federal, state, local, tribal and territorial governments as well as with private sector, community, non-governmental, and faith-based partners.”

Hurricane season begins June 1 and extends through November 30. Being aware of risks and hazards and taking the steps to prepare can reduce the impacts of hurricanes.

“Hurricane season officially begins today and yet we have already had two named storms,” said FEMA Administrator Fugate. “When it comes to preparing for disasters, don’t simply focus on the calendar … focus on the need to be prepared. You can go to www.ready.gov and find all of the tools and information you need to prepare your home, business and family.”

This season, we ask families, communities and businesses to be a force of nature by taking the pledge to prepare at www.ready.gov/hurricanes.

For more information, visit www.ready.gov.

Last Modified: Tuesday, 05-Jun-2012 08:43:25

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Atlantic Hurricane Season Begins Today

Subtropical Storm Beryl Expected To Make Landfall Today

Individuals are Advised to Follow the Directions of Local Officials

Release Date: May 27, 2012
Release Number: HQ-12-39

WASHINGTON — Although the Atlantic hurricane season begins June 1, two storms have already formed in the Atlantic, and recently formed subtropical storm Beryl is expected to make landfall today. According to National Weather Service, tropical storm warnings remain in effect for the Volusia/Brevard county line in Florida to Edisto Beach, South Carolina. The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) is advising residents in these areas to follow the directions of local officials.

FEMA, through our regional office in Atlanta, Ga., is monitoring subtropical storm Beryl, and deployed a liaison to the National Hurricane Center in Miami, Fla. to share information on current conditions with the FEMA regional office and affected states.

According to the National Weather Service, the storm has maximum sustained winds near 50 miles per hour, with higher gusts. Little change in strength is expected before subtropical storm Beryl makes landfall. Tropical storm conditions are expected to reach the coast within the warning area from northeastern Florida to southern South Carolina late this morning or this afternoon, and continue throughout tonight. Dangerous surf conditions, including rip currents, are expected along the coast from northeastern Florida to North Carolina for the remainder of the Memorial Day Weekend.

FEMA encourages individuals to monitor local radio and television news outlets or listen to NOAA Weather Radio for the latest developments.

On this first day of Hurricane Preparedness Week, FEMA encourages all individuals in hurricane-prone areas, to “Be a Force of Nature”: know your risk, make a pledge to prepare at www.ready.gov/hurricanes, complete your emergency preparedness plan, update your emergency kit and share your preparedness efforts with family and friends.

You can save a life by sharing your readiness tips with others and encouraging them to do the same. Make a YouTube video on how you prepared, post information on Facebook, comment about the importance of preparing on a blog or sending a tweet. You can also share FEMA’s preparedness widget on your website and through your social media network.

More information on how we can all be prepared for this hurricane season can be found by visiting www.Ready.gov/hurricanes.

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

Stay informed. Sign up for local weather alerts and warnings at http://www.nws.noaa.gov/.

Last Modified: Sunday, 27-May-2012 14:24:31

Continued:

Subtropical Storm Beryl Expected To Make Landfall Today

Be Ready For Severe Weather

Release Date: April 24, 2012
Release Number: R8-12-009

» 2012 Region VIII News Releases

As the nation marks the first anniversary of one of the largest tornado outbreaks in U.S. history, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration and the Federal Emergency Management Agency are teaming up this week to prepare the public and help save lives during the first ever National Severe Weather Week, April 22-29.

FEMA and NOAA are encouraging people to know their risk, take action, and be a force of nature” by taking proactive preparedness measures and inspiring others to do the same. While the type and severity of threats vary across the country, the need to be prepared applies regardless of where you live.

Last April, tornadoes raked the central and southern United States, with a total of more than 300 tornadoes claiming hundreds of lives. The historic outbreak was only one of many weather-related tragedies in 2011,which now holds the record for the greatest number of multi-billion dollar weather disasters in the nation’s history.

“Severe weather can strike anywhere, at any time,” said FEMA Regional Administrator Robin Finegan. While we can’t control the forces of nature, we can prepare now to be more resilient in the face of natural disasters.

To “be a force of nature,” FEMA and NOAA encourage citizens to prepare for extreme weather by following these guidelines:

Know your risk: The first step to becoming weather-ready is to understand the type of hazardous weather that can affect where you live and work, and how the weather could impact you and your family. Check the weather forecast regularly and sign up for alerts from your local emergency management officials.
Take action: Develop an emergency plan based on your local weather hazards and practice how and where to take shelter. Create or refresh an emergency kit for needed food, supplies and medication. Post your plan where visitors can see it. Learn what you can do to strengthen your home or business against severe weather. Obtain a NOAA Weather Radio. Download FEMA’s mobile app so you can access important safety tips on what to do before and during severe weather Understand the weather warning system and become a certified storm spotter through the National Weather Service.
Be a force of nature: Once you have taken action, tell your family, friends, school staff and co-workers about how they can prepare. Share the resources and alert systems you discovered with your social media network. For more information on how you can participate, visit www.ready.gov/severeweather

Last Modified: Tuesday, 24-Apr-2012 10:45:11

FEMA Urges New Yorkers to ‘Pledge to Prepare’

Release Date: April 23, 2012
Release Number: 4031-099

» More Information on New York Remnants of Tropical Storm Lee
» More Information on New York Hurricane Irene

ALBANY, N.Y. — Last year, more than 1,000 deaths and more than 8,000 injuries were caused by tornadoes, floods, wildfires and other types of severe weather.

The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) is proud to be promoting National Severe Weather Preparedness Week from Sunday, April 22 to Saturday, April 28.

Sponsored by FEMA and the National Oceanic Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), National Severe Weather Preparedness Week is a nationwide effort designed to increase awareness of the severe weather that affects everyone as well as to encourage individuals, families, businesses and communities to know their risk, take action, and be an example.

“As Hurricane Irene and Tropical Storm Lee showed us last year, severe weather is a real concern for every New Yorker. Everyone must know the risks they face and prepare to meet them before disaster strikes,” said Federal Coordinating Officer Philip E. Parr.

FEMA is asking everyone to “pledge to prepare” and take the following steps:

Know Your Risk: The first step to becoming weather-ready is to understand the type of hazardous weather that can affect where you live and work, and how the weather could impact you and your family. Check the weather forecast regularly, obtain a NOAA Weather Radio, and sign up for localized alerts from emergency management officials. Severe weather comes in many forms and your shelter plan should include all types of local hazards.

Take Action: “Be a Force of Nature” by taking the pledge to prepare at Ready.gov/severe-weather. When you pledge to prepare, you will take the first step to making sure that you and your family are prepared for severe weather. This includes developing a family communication and disaster preparedness plan, keeping important papers and valuables in a safe place, and visiting www.Ready.gov/severe-weather for more on family preparedness for severe weather.

Last Modified: Monday, 23-Apr-2012 15:06:14

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FEMA Urges New Yorkers to ‘Pledge to Prepare’

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