Hurricane Season is Underway: Be Prepared

When hurricane season began on June 1, Jefferson Lab started its advance preparations to ensure the lab's ability to quickly elevate its readiness should a storm threaten eastern Virginia.

For more information regarding the lab's hurricane preparedness and response activities, visit the lab's Emergency Management webpage and review the Severe Weather Procedures, Appendix 3510-T4 in the Environment, Safety and Health Manual.

 Every expert on hurricane preparedness stresses the importance of planning ahead for evacuation, shelter-in-place and other options that people may need to take on short notice.

Below is a checklist provided by the National Hurricane Center of the National Weather Service.

Family Disaster Plan
Discuss the type of hazards that could affect your family. Know your home's vulnerability to storm surge, flooding, and wind.
Locate a safe room or the safest areas in your home for each hurricane hazard. In certain circumstances the safest areas may not be your home but within your community.
Determine escape routes from your home and places to meet. These should be measured in tens of miles rather than hundreds of miles.
Have an out-of-state friend as a family contact, so all your family members have a single point of contact.
Make a plan now for what to do with your pets if you need to evacuate.
Post emergency telephone numbers by your phones and make sure your children know how and when to call 911.
Check your insurance coverage - flood damage is not usually covered by homeowners insurance.
Ensure you can gather up prescribed medications for all family members.
Stock non-perishable emergency supplies and a Disaster Supply Kit.
Use a NOAA weather radio. Remember to replace its battery every 6 months, as you do with your smoke detectors.
Take First Aid, CPR, and disaster preparedness classes.
This checklist is posted at: http://www.nhc.noaa.gov/HAW2/english/prepare/family_plan.shtml