Leonardtown, MD – May 25, 2019 – The 2019 Hurricane Season officially begins Friday, June 1, and runs until November 30. The hurricane research team at Colorado State University is forecasting 13 named storms for the 2019 season.
St. Mary’s County Department of Emergency Services reminds everyone, staying safe during hurricane season starts with a simple step: Have A Plan. Prepare for hurricanes by using a simple guide at Ready.gov. Plans should be worked out for all family members. For those animal lovers out there … you need a plan as well.
Plans include figuring out how to determine whether it’s safe to hunker down at home during a storm or whether you will need to evacuate. If so, there is likely a specific route you should take in the event of evacuations, as many roads may be closed. If you must leave your home, you also need to determine accommodations during the storm.
Predetermining an emergency meeting place and protocol can be helpful. Sometimes, local cellphone lines are overloaded during a storm, so consider texting. Another alternative is to have a central out-of-state contact who can relay messages between family members.
The following hurricane names could come into play during the 2019 Atlantic hurricane season (including the North Atlantic, Caribbean and Gulf of Mexico) according to the World Meteorological Organization:
Andrea Barry Chantal
Dorian Erin Ferdinand
Gabrielle Humberto Imelda
Jerry Karen Lorenzo
Melissa Nestor Olga
Pablo Rebekah Sebastien
Tanya Van Wendy
To learn about Disasters & Hazards, Being Prepared and Being Informed visit:
prepare.stmarysmd.com