The most active month for hurricanes, September has been marked with disasters that include hurricanes Hugo, Ivan, and Rita, and one of the deadliest hurricanes to hit the United States, the Great Galveston Hurricane of 1900, which claimed between 8,000 and 12,000. Despite the dangers of hurricane season, many families in the United States are not prepared or equipped to deal with this type of disaster.
A recent survey by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) found that percentage of families who discuss disaster plans with family members and have an up-to-date emergency kit in their homes has decreased in recent years. In fact, less than 40 percent of us have emergency plans, and less than 30 percent have updated disaster kits at the ready. This month, FEMA officially launched “The Ready Campaign” as part of its annual National Preparedness Month. The initiative focuses on four main points:
- Be informed
- Make a plan
- Build a kit
- Get involved
As part of National Preparedness Month and FEMA’s Ready Campaign, National PrepareAthon Day will launch on September 30, and is an opportunity for individuals, businesses, and communities to prepare for specific hazards through drills, group discussions, and exercises. It revolves around taking the actions to prepare for six specific hazards, including:
- Earthquake
- Flood
- Hurricane
- Tornado
- Wildfire
- Winter Storm
The goal of this campaign is to make more people aware of the disasters that are the biggest threat to their particular communities, to know how to prepare for and mitigate potential damage, and to encourage involvement in community disaster planning initiatives.
ServiceMaster Restoration by Advanced encourages everyone to get involved in FEMA’s disaster planning initiatives and to discuss with family members how to best prepare for and communicate during a disaster such as a hurricane or severe flooding. Preparation is the best way to stay safe during the unexpected, but if a disaster does affect you, ServiceMaster Restoration by Advanced can help you restore and repair any damage to your home or business. Whether it’s damaged caused by high winds or severe flooding, we will come to your location any time of day or night, assess the damage, and guide you through the process of rebuilding.
Hurricane season ends November 30. Make it a goal to have a plan created and an emergency kit put together by that time, and be sure to discuss emergency plans in detail with your family.
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