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It
Only Takes One …
Hurricane predictors say that the 2010
season will be very busy. But it only takes one tropical
system to cause extensive, expensive damage from surging
water, high winds, tornadoes and inland flooding. Every
Virginia family should get ready now.
Every home should have these essentials:
a family emergency plan, three-days of bottled water and
non-perishable food, a battery-powered or hand-crank radio to
hear emergency information, and extra batteries.
Make a family emergency plan.
If you had to leave, know in advance where you would
go and where you could take your pets.
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Identify
several places you could stay in an emergency – perhaps
a friends’ home in another town, a hotel or public
shelter if necessary.
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Choose
an out-of-town friend or relative as a family point of
contact, and be sure every family member has that
person’s phone number.
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Go to
www.ReadyVirginia.gov
for family plan worksheets. Click on Make a
plan.
Get essential emergency supplies. Start
with at least a three-day supply of bottled water and packaged
and canned food. Add a manual can opener, flashlights
and extra batteries, first aid kit and medications.
Store in waterproof containers that have wheels or that you
can lift easily. Get an emergency supply checklist at www.ReadyVirginia.gov.
Click on Get a kit.
Listen to emergency information
from officials. In case there is no power, you
will need a battery-powered radio and extra batteries.
Listen to local media for the best information about your
area. Consider purchasing a battery-powered or
hand-crank radio with a weather band so you can get
information directly from the National Weather Service.
Also, be aware that flooding is the most
common disaster in Virginia, and it is costly. Just an
inch or two of water in a home or business adds up to about
$8,000 in repairs. Homeowners’ insurance policies
don’t cover flooding, so talk to your agent now about flood
insurance. It usually takes about 30 days for a new
flood policy to go into effect. See www.floodsmart.gov
or call 1-800-427-2419.
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On July 1, 2010, Congress passed H.R. 5569 extending the National Flood Insurance Program until September 30th, 2010. This bill is retroactive and covers the lapse period from June 1, 2010 to the date of enactment of the extension. With many of you in the district living along the water, I want you to be aware of this important issue. |
Is your family ready for hurricane and
flood season?
Families
who are ready recover faster
Although
meteorologists can’t predict exactly how tropical systems
and hurricanes will affect Virginia this year, there is one
prediction that will come true: families who are ready will
recover much better and faster than those who are not.
Everyone should be
prepared to be self-sufficient for at least the first 72 hours
after a storm hits. Every home should have at least four
basic items:
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A family
emergency plan
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Three days’
of bottled water (one gallon per person per day)
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Three days’
of non-perishable food
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A hand-crank or
battery-powered radio with extra batteries for listening
to emergency information from local media and officials
Store these items
in waterproof containers that have wheels or that you can lift
easily in case you have to leave.
To see a short
Ready Virginia video about getting ready for hurricane season
and making a family emergency plan, go to
http://www.youtube.com/vaemergency#p/u.
You also can request a new publication, Virginia’s Hurricane
Evacuation Guide, by writing to
pio@vdem.virginia.gov
or calling 1-866-782-3470.
To learn more about
getting ready for tropical storms, hurricanes and flooding, go
to www.ReadyVirginia.gov.
For information in Spanish, visit www.ListoVirginia.gov.
While visiting those Web sites, take a quick survey to measure
Virginia’s overall preparedness for disasters and
emergencies.
Getting ready for
hurricane and flood season is everyone’s responsibility.
Make your plan now.
Click
here to view and download your own copy of Virginia's 2010
Hurricane Evacuation Guide.
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