Tuesday, May 31, 2016

County Resources Help Residents Prepare for Hurricanes and More

With the arrival of the official start of the Atlantic Hurricane Season on June 1 there is no better time for residents to review their emergency preparedness plans for themselves, their families and businesses.

Residents are urged to take this opportunity to check and replenish disaster supply kits, create and/or review family emergency plans including preparations for pets, review evacuation routes and locate contact information for their municipal emergency management offices. All of this information and more is available on the county's emergency information and resource website at www.ReadyAtlantic.org.

"When an emergency strikes, time is of the essence and preparedness is vital to survival," stated County Executive Dennis Levinson. "While our first responders do an outstanding job under extraordinary conditions, preparedness begins with each of us, in our own homes and families. Take the time to prepare now by making a plan and creating a disaster supply kit for home and travel. Your life may well depend upon it."

Residents and individuals with properties, second homes, or businesses in Atlantic County are also strongly encouraged to register with the county's Community Notification System. The system includes numbers from the Verizon phone system's 9-1-1 database as well as self-registered numbers. The Community Notification System can accommodate a primary and secondary phone number (i.e. home and cell) as well as two email addresses per account.

Residents who are registered through the Atlantic County Community Notification System can also receive direct alerts from the National Weather Service to their cell phones. This important feature helps to keep the public aware of potentially dangerous weather conditions, such as severe heat or storm activity, regardless of time of day or location.

The Atlantic Hurricane Season lasts through November. According to government officials, the 2016 season is predicted to be near normal with the likelihood of 10-16 named storms of which 4-8 could become hurricanes. Hurricane Alex formed over the far eastern Atlantic in January making it the first of 2016 well before the traditional hurricane season.

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