As hurricane season approaches, the nation is already facing unprecedented challenges due to the historic pandemic. Please keep in mind the following updates from the Office of Emergency Management and Disaster Response (CG-OEM):
- Every year, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) releases a prediction on how active the hurricane season will be. NOAA recently forecasted 6-10 hurricanes and 3 to 6 major hurricanes with a 60% chance of an above-normal season.
- If you want to learn more about how to prepare for the upcoming hurricane season, CG-OEM is hosting a webinar presented by NOAA on Wednesday, May 27 at 1400 Eastern. Request to be added to the invite for this webinar by emailing IMPWebinar@uscg.mil.
- To help emergency managers during the 2020 hurricane season, FEMA recently released COVID-19 Pandemic Operational Guidance for the 2020 Hurricane Season. The guidance includes adaptation plans for response and recovery operations considering today’s risks of COVID-19, as well as other checklists and resources to help posture for the 2020 hurricane season.
- Please keep in mind that hurricane preparedness is important for everyone. Did you know that hurricanes can affect areas more than 100 miles inland? While you can’t anticipate your every need during a hurricane, remember to be prepared, have a plan and know it, not only for your unit but for yourself and your family.
Officially, the Atlantic hurricane season starts June 1 and lasts through November 30. However, we have already seen this year’s first named storm – Tropical Storm Arthur.
For more information on how to prepare for hurricanes and other weather events, visit Ready.gov.