Residents Advised to Prepare Now for Possible Severe Weather
With the height of hurricane season upon us, County Executive Robert P. Astorino is urging residents to review their emergency plans and stockpile necessary supplies so they are prepared if severe weather strikes Westchester again this year.
“All of us remember the devastation that Westchester suffered in recent years from Hurricane Irene, Tropical Storm Lee and Superstorm Sandy,” Astorino said. “Lives were lost, power was out for days, roads were blocked by downed trees, and homes and businesses were damaged by flooding. While I hope that Mother Nature will be kinder to us this year, it is always a good idea to plan ahead for storms even if they don’t turn into emergencies. It never hurts to be prepared.”
Astorino recommended that residents have several days’ worth of food, water, medicine and other critical supplies on hand in the event that they are stuck in their homes without power. He also said residents should prepare a “go-bag” in case they are asked to evacuate on short notice.
Commissioner John M. Cullen of the Department of Emergency Services (DES) said residents should obtain the supplies they might need now because they are hard to find once a storm strikes. He said that emergency management officials recommend that people create a disaster preparedness kit that includes: one gallon of water per person per day; a three-day supply of canned, packaged or other foods that do not need refrigeration or need to be cooked; a manual can opener and eating utensils; flashlights and batteries; a first aid kit; and a battery-powered or hand-crank radio.
Food items that can be stored include ready-to-eat canned meats and fish; protein or fruit bars; dry cereal and granola; peanut butter; nuts; crackers and canned fruit juice.
Cullen said families also need to consider what special preparations may be necessary to care for the elderly, infants or pets. Family members also need to plan for how they will communicate if local phone service is not available or is overwhelmed by high demand.
Practical tips on these and other topics can be found at: http://keepingsafe.westchestergov.com/be-prepared and www.ready.gov.
The county government’s effort to prepare for hurricanes or other weather-related emergencies are always ongoing. Recently, Astorino and DES, along with local mayors and supervisors, conducted a Municipal Coordinated Disaster Recovery Exercise. The training exercise focused on executive-level decisions that need to be made during major storms like Hurricane Sandy, as well as other large-scale emergencies. DES simulated a category 3 hurricane, labeled “Hurricane Leslie,” and worked with the municipalities on the best practices and decisions in the days leading up to the storm, during the storm, and both the short-term and long-term recovery after the storm.
The county also has been working with Con Edison and New York State Electric and Gas (NYSEG) to improve communications between the utilities and their customers in the event of widespread power outages.
Astorino said people should also consider joining emergency preparedness and response groups, such as volunteer fire and ambulance departments, and participating in efforts sponsored by not-for-profits, such as The United Way and The Red Cross. These are varied depending on the special needs of each community.
“During the storms in recent years, volunteers provided invaluable help to many in their communities. In times of crisis, we all need each other,” Astorino said. “I encourage everyone to think about how they might help their communities to prepare for, respond to and recover from severe weather and other emergencies.”
Adam has worked in the local news industry for the past two decades in Westchester County and the broader Hudson Valley. Read more from Adam’s author bio here.