Friday, June 01, 2007

June 1st - Hurricane Season Starts Today - Friday, June 1, 2007

Hurricane Season - June 1st - November 30th

(Above Satellite Imagery courtesy of NOAA and will auto refresh)

Preparation Roles and Responsibilities
State and local governments are closest to those affected by natural disasters, and have always been the lead in response and recovery. The federal government acts in a supporting role, providing assistance, logistical support, and certain supplies.


Local Government is responsible for providing for the safety and security of citizens in advance of a hurricane. That means they are in charge of developing emergency plans, determining evacuation routes, providing public transportation for those who can’t self-evacuate, and setting up and stocking local shelters with relief supplies.

State Government is responsible for mobilizing the National Guard, pre-positioning certain assets and supplies, and setting up the state’s emergency management functions. They are also in charge of requesting federal support though the formal disaster declaration process.

Federal Government is responsible for meeting those requests from the state – before, during and after the disaster...

This includes:
>>
Providing logistical support for search and rescue
>> Providing food, water and ice
>> Establishing disaster centers and processing federal disaster claims
>>
Participating in short and long-term public works projects, such as debris removal and infrastructure rebuilding.

Personal and Community Preparedness
“People really need to be prepared to sustain themselves for up to 72 hours after a disaster – that means people need to have an emergency plan and an emergency kit with adequate supplies of food, water, and other essentials.”
Homeland Security Secretary Michael Chertoff

Personal preparedness for a disaster is a civic virtue. By taking small steps, those who can make preparations allow local first responders to tend to those who cannot self-evacuate.

Prepare an Emergency Supply Kit and Family Emergency Plan: Individuals and families should prepare emergency supply kits with food, water, battery operated radios and medicines. Families should also make emergency plans that include how and where they would evacuate, shelter-in-place and communicate with one another. For more information on preparing for emergencies, visit Ready.gov.

Listen to Local Authorities: Individuals should pay careful attention to the advice of local authorities. By self-evacuating, the “able-bodied” can allow authorities to devote resources where they are needed the most.
(Preparation Roles and Responsibilities courtesy of DHS.gov)

Note: Always remember that your life and safety starts with you first... then Local- State and finally Federal. Are you prepared?
AubreyJ.........

I’ll end this post with my Slide...
Hurricane Katrina - Part Three
** Reflections **

Click it out HERE

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