Gov. Phil Bryant has declared May 29-June 2 as Hurricane Preparedness Week in Mississippi to ensure residents are prepared for the upcoming tropical weather season. This year also marks the 12-year anniversary of Hurricane Katrina that devastated the entire Mississippi Coast on August 29, 2005.
“It’s been five years since Hurricane Isaac, the last tropical system to affect Mississippi, and more than a decade since Katrina,” said Gov. Bryant. “With such a long gap between events, I want to make sure everyone in our state is prepared if we are threatened this year.”
The Mississippi Emergency Management Agency will provide valuable preparedness information throughout the week for citizens and businesses on its website and on the social media platforms Facebook, Twitter, Snapchat and YouTube. Personal and community planning are the foundation for preparedness.
“With several years since we’ve been hit by a hurricane, I fear we’ve been lulled into a false sense of security”, said MEMA Executive Director Lee Smithson. “We need to ensure that we understand what we need to do for our families, our communities and our state before and after a hurricane or tropical storm.”
The Atlantic Hurricane Season officially starts June 1 and runs through November 30.
One of the first steps you should take in preparing for tropical weather is to create or restock an emergency supply kit:
- Flashlight and battery-powered radio with extra batteries.
- Non-perishable food for at least three days.
- One gallon of water, per person, per day for at least three days.
- Toiletry items.
- Pet food and pet supplies.
- Medicine and prescription medication.
- Copies of important family papers and documents.
- Cash and travelers checks, enough to fill up your vehicle with fuel.
You can download the 2017 MEMA Hurricane Preparedness Guide athttp://www.msema.org/2017-hurricane-preparedness-guide.
