(Long Island, NY) With the height of hurricane season quickly approaching, Suffolk County Legislature Presiding Officer DuWayne Gregory reminds residents that now is the time to prepare for severe weather.
“By the time we know a storm is coming, it is already too late to fully protect our families, homes and property,” said Presiding Officer Gregory. “Preparation is key to preventing substantial harm and loss. Our county’s officials and residents learned many lessons during Superstorm Sandy; let us use those lessons to ensure that when disaster threatens us, we are ready.”
The Atlantic hurricane season runs from June to November, with peak season from mid-August to late October.
The Suffolk County Office of Emergency Management, PSEG LI and the National Weather Service suggest the following preparation measures and safety tips:
Before The Storm
- Fill your car with gas.
- Make sure you have cash. ATMs don’t work if there is a power outage!
- Check batteries in flashlights, radios and other devices you will need.
- Create a family emergency plan: Think about how you will contact one another, how you will reunite, and contingency plans for various scenarios. To get started making your own plan, visit the Office of Emergency Management website.
- Put together an emergency supplies kit: Have enough food, water, medication and other supplies to last for at least three days. For more information on building a kit, visit the Office of Emergency Management website.
- Make sure loved ones with special needs are on the county’s Special Needs Registry: The Registry includes those with special and/or functional medical needs and is designed to assist first responders in identifying those who need help evacuating and special shelter. Register on the Office of Emergency Management website.
- Sign up for Suffolk County’s free CodeRED high-speed notification system, used to contact registered users through phone calls, emails and text messages during an emergency. To receive alerts, visit the Office of Emergency Management website.
- Trim trees and shrubbery so branches don’t fly into or damage your home.
- Review your insurance policy.
During The Storm
- Tune in to local radio or TV stations for up-to-date storm information.
- Follow all instructions issued by local officials.
- Stay with friends or relatives at a low-rise inland hotel or at a designated public shelter outside the flood zone.
- Do not stay in a mobile or manufactured home.
- Take pets with you if you can. Most public shelters do not allow pets other than those used by people with disabilities, so find out which hotels are pet-friendly.
- Set your refrigerator to the coldest setting and keep it closed; this way, in the event of a power outage, your food will stay fresh longer.
- Turn off propane tanks.
- During a power outage, to prevent a sudden electric surge when the power comes back on, turn off major appliances such as air conditioners, refrigerators and TVs.
- Fill your bathtub with water in case clean tap water is unavailable. Use the water in the bathtubs for cleaning and flushing only – not for drinking.
- Stay away from windows and doors. Keep to a small interior room, closet or hallway.
- Close all interior doors, and secure and brace external doors.
After The Storm
- Keep listening to the radio or TV for important safety updates.
- Watch for closed roads. Turn around if you see a barricade or a flooded road ahead.
- Assume downed power lines are live wires and stay as far away from them as possible.
- Report outages and downed power lines to PSEG: Call 800-490-0075; text “OUT” to PSEGLI (773454); or report online at www.psegliny.com.
- Stay on firm, dry ground. Standing water may be electrically charged from power lines.
- If using a generator, protect yourself from carbon monoxide poisoning by following the manufacturer’s directions.
- At your home, check appliances for damage.
- Use a flashlight – not candles or open flames – to inspect damage.
- Wear proper shoes to prevent cutting your feet on sharp debris.
- Do not drink or prepare food with tap water until officials say it is safe.
- Don’t walk in areas with downed power lines.
Additional information on storm preparation is available from:
- the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) at fema.gov
- the Ready Campaign at ready.gov
- the American Red Cross at redcross.org
