As the one year anniversary of the devastating Hurricane Harvey approaches, on August 25, the public is concerned and anxious about the possibility of a reoccurrence.
The City of Houston held an “Extreme Weather Ready Expo” last Saturday, June 2 to inform the public of precautions and preparations they can take prior to any storms arriving in this area.
Almost everyone was impacted by last year’s hurricane, so it was not a surprise that 4000 attended this year’s Expo at the George R. Brown Convention Center. Over 50 information booths were set up, with representatives of Emergency Management agencies from the City of Houston, Harris County, Montgomery County, Galveston County, FEMA, NOAA or National Weather Service, Centerpoint Energy and many more.
Judge Ed Emmett said that “preparedness starts at home, and if individuals and families don’t do the right thing, then they’re not going to be ready and it makes the whole community less safe.”
Emmett continued, “It all starts with preparing a GO kit, knowing if you are in an area where you might have to evacuate. If you’re unable to get yourself out of harm’s way, you can dial 211 and get on a registry for help. That’s important to know.”
FEMA encouraged everyone to have flood insurance. Others advised to have extra generators, and batteries and flashlights. Know the size of the storm, and how much time you have to make a decision, one person advised. Know what the flood level is, what is the elevation of your house, and know how to evacuate ahead of time, and on which route.