National Preparedness Month: Practicing for natural disasters

September is National Preparedness Month. Florida State CFO Jimmy Patronis offers disaster readiness tips that all U.S. residents can benefit from.

Residents survey debris after Hurricane Michael hit in Mexico Beach, Florida, U.S., on Friday, Oct. 12, 2018. Search-and-rescue teams found at least one body in Mexico Beach, the ground-zero town nearly obliterated by Hurricane Michael, an official said Friday as the scale of the storm’s fury became ever clearer. (Photo: Zack Wittman/Bloomberg)

Recent events have been a sobering reminder at just how destructive hurricanes and storms can be. Hurricane Dorian caused devastating damage in the Bahamas over Labor Day weekend, with total insured losses estimated at upwards of $1.5 billion.

Most recently, Tropical Storm Imelda hit Texas with shocking rainfall, causing Hurricane Harvey-like floods, damaging structures and prompting hundreds of water rescues.

For the residents of one of the country’s most vulnerable areas, Florida State CFO Jimmy Patronis recently offered a reminder to Floridians about the importance of hurricane readiness, just in time for National Preparedness Month: “As we’ve seen with recent storms including Hurricanes Michael and Dorian, severe weather can change and intensify quickly, and Floridians can’t wait until a storm takes aim at our state to prepare their home and businesses for disasters,” Patronis said in a statement. “We are at the peak of the 2019 Hurricane Season, and I encourage all Florida families to take time together to practice your disaster plan and to ensure your supplies are stocked so your household is prepared.”

Be prepared

Floridians are no strangers to hurricanes, but regardless of experience, Patronis urged residents to visit PrepareFL.com, which serves as a one-stop-shop for disaster preparedness information. However, not just Floridians can benefit from the information offered — residents of all hurricane-and disaster-prone areas around the U.S. can gain valuable information on catastrophe preparedness, such as:

For more information on how to prepare for a disaster, including resources for Spanish-and Creole-speakers, visit PrepareFL.com.

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