National Hurricane Preparedness Week (May 7-13, 2017): It Only Takes One!

As the saying goes, “all politics are local.” The same goes for hurricanes. A busy hurricane season is not just defined by the total number of hurricanes in a season, but rather if any hurricane hits your local community.  It only takes one.  This mantra provides the impetus every May for the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) and its partners to participate in the National Hurricane Preparedness Week.  The goal of National Hurricane Preparedness Week is to motivate communities, businesses, and individuals to know their risks, take steps to prepare, and encourage their loved ones, neighbors, and social network to do the same.

This year, one preparedness action will be profiled each day of the week with useful tips and additional resources available for anyone to access. The seven actions are:

• Determine your risk
• Develop an evacuation plan
• Assemble disaster supplies
• Secure an insurance check-up
• Strengthen your home
• Check on your neighbors
• Complete your written hurricane plan

Beyond preparedness messaging, there is a lot going on during National Hurricane Preparedness Week. The Hurricane Awareness Tour brings the hurricane hunter aircraft to six East Coast locations over six days. At each location, school students, community leaders, and the public are invited to get an up close and personal experience with the science of hurricane exploration and the scientists who intentionally fly into the eye of a hurricane.

In addition, there will be “Scientists in the Classroom” webinars, public service announcements, and lots of social media buzz. Follow the social media conversations using the hashtags #hurricanestrong, #hurricaneprep and #ItOnlyTakesOne.

Preparedness isn’t just about checking off a “To Do” list, but is a 365-day a year mindset. And May is the perfect time to put the focus on hurricane and tropical storm preparedness. Whether you or family members live along, or are planning to visit, the coast where storm surge from tropical systems can be life-threatening, or are well inland in areas where these systems can bring flooding rains, taking steps now to be better prepared gives you the advantage when the threat becomes a reality.