The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration is predicting this year’s hurricane season will bring 7 to 9 named storms.
June 1st is the start of the Atlantic hurricane season and The Delaware Emergency Management Agency is using this week’s National Hurricane Preparedness Week to reminds residents how to prepare for major storms.
Joe Thomas, director of the Sussex County Emergency Operations Center, stressed how important it is to pay attention to the news when a storm hits the coast in order to be aware of affected areas
“Monitoring the media outlets and looking at the information we’re releasing on social media as well as the other venues is probably the most important thing because we’ll tell people what they can and can’t do as far as getting into [affected] areas," said Thomas.
The Sussex County Emergency Operations Center recommends that folks have an emergency kit that contains supplies to survive on for three days. Additionally, homeowners should also tie down loose objects and secure utilities out of precaution.
Thomas said these measures are necessary in case a storm does hit the Delaware coastline.
“If a storm does affect our area, we may not let people back into affected areas right away until we have a chance to get in and check for any hazards and damage that might happen," said Thomas.
Though the state has never experienced a direct hit from a hurricane, it has been impacted by powerful parts of nearby storms - including Hurricanes Sandy and Irene in the last 5 years.
More information on hurricane preparedness is available at PrepareDE.org.
