JONES COUNTY – Now is the time for Jones County residents to get prepared for hurricane season, which officially begins on June 1. Jones County EMA, along with the Georgia Emergency Management and Homeland Security Agency and the Federal Emergency Management Agency will be promoting Hurricane Preparedness Week from May 15-21.
Although hurricanes can’t be predicted long in advance, our residents can take care of many important preparations this month, before the rush that accompanies a storm’s arrival.
“Early planning will help Georgia residents to be ready in the event of a hurricane- related incident,” said Jones Co. EMA Director Don Graham. “It’s everyone’s responsibility to be prepared.”
Hurricane Preparedness Week will focus on those early preparations, and provide residents with day by day information and activities.
- Sunday, May 15: Know Your Risk— Find out what wind and water hazards could occur in your area. The impacts of hurricanes can be felt hundreds of miles inland – they aren’t just coastal problems.
- Monday, May 16: Develop an Evacuation Plan. Get familiar with Georgia Navigator, so when the time comes, you’ll know the way to go. You can also find evacuation routes here.
- Tuesday, May 17: Secure an Insurance Checkup. Call your agent and make sure you have enough coverage to repair or even replace your home. Standard homeowner’s insurance doesn’t cover flooding.
- Wednesday, May 18: Assemble Disaster Supplies. Have enough non-perishable food, water and medicine to last each person at least three days. Don’t forget the pet supplies!
- Thursday, May 19: Strengthen Your Home. Make sure your home is in good repair and meets hurricane code specifications. Have the proper plywood or aluminum panels to board up windows and doors.
- Friday, May 20: Identify your Trusted Sources of Information for a Hurricane Event. When weather alerts and recommendations to take action begin, you’ll need to know where to go to find accurate information.
- Saturday, May 21: Complete Your Written Hurricane Plan. If you wait until storms are already impending, chances are, stress will cause poor decision making. Know where you will ride out the storm, and where your supplies are stored. Make sure your family is on the same page about who to contact and where to go. Get it all in writing and store copies of the plan where everyone has access to them. Use the Ready Georgia planning tool to create a customized plan for your family.
Families can also download the free Ready Georgia mobile app to learn how to prepare for emergencies, create family communications plans and more. For more information on how to prepare for severe weather, visit www.ready.ga.gov. To learn about specific risks in your area, contact us at 478-986-6672.
About GEMHSA
As part of the Office of the Governor, GEMHSA works with local, state and federal governments, in partnership with the private sector and faith-based community, to protect life and property against man-made and natural emergencies. In addition, GEMHSA employees are on 24-hour call statewide to assist local authorities when disaster strikes.
About Ready Georgia
Ready Georgia is GEHMHSA’s statewide campaign designed to educate and empower Georgians to prepare for and respond to natural disasters, pandemic outbreaks, potential terrorist attacks and other large-scale emergencies. Ready Georgia aims to prepare citizens for maintaining self-sufficiency for at least 72 hours following an emergency, and uses an interactive website, free mobile app, broadcast and print advertising and public awareness media messaging to reach its audiences.