Hurricane Preparedness Week

National Hurricane Preparedness Week begins on May 25 and extends through May 31.It highlights the importance of planning ahead to protect families and secure homes and communities in advance of the upcoming Atlantic hurricane season, which lasts from June 1 to November 30.

This hurricane season, FEMA invites families, individuals, communities and businesses to take action to join America’s PrepareAthon!, a national community-based campaign for action to increase emergency preparedness and resilience. More than ever, it takes the whole community’s participation to build resiliency. FEMA encourages everyone to prepare now and know what do before, during and after a hurricane makes landfall.

Practicing what to do in an emergency in advance of the event can make a difference in the ability to take immediate and informed action, which, in turn, enables them to recover more quickly. More information about preparing for hurricanes is available at www.ready.gov.

Please note that here in Hawai‘i, we need to stock water and supplies for at least 7-10 days.  Most government websites recommend 3 days, and that is a reasonable supply if you live on the continental United States.  Hawai‘i remains dependent on container ships that take 7 days to get to Hawai‘i from Oakland or Los Angeles.