Hurricane season officially began June 1. And even though the most active period for hurricane development is normally in August and September, it鈥檚 never too early to be prepared for anything.
The rule of thumb is to evacuate when the emergency management says evacuate. But what does it mean to be ready to evacuate?
Rick McBayer, emergency management coordinator, and his team say there must always be a plan.
鈥淎nd have a backup plan,鈥 he said. 鈥淗ave backup plans for backup plans.鈥
Being prepared is the key to implementing any kind of emergency plans.
McBrayer said the following are the most important when planning for evacuation before an evacuation is called:
- Know your evacuation route
- Have necessary items, such as medications, to last at least seven days ready to go.
- Have financial means in case you need to stay in a hotel
- Make sure their insurance is up to date
When you鈥檙e ready to evacuate, McBrayer said the rule of thumb for a route to safety is north and in land. Both US 77 and 87 are the safest routes, and there are blue and white signs clearly labeled as hurricane evacuation routes.
However, sometimes evacuation is not an option for those who are medically fragile and cannot travel, such as families with elderly members.
McBrayer recommends looking into the State of Texas Emergency Assistance Registry, or STEAR. People with disabilities, have limited mobility, and require personal assistance should register. This keeps the local emergency planners updated on the needs of their community so they can best plan in the event of an evacuation.
The city of 足交视频 has several emergency contact avenues such as the Texas Traveler App with updated road conditions as well the 足交视频 Emergency Alert System any citizen can sign up for to get alerts on critical community alerts. McBrayer also said 鈥渃itizens should evacuate sooner rather than later to avoid traffic or dangerous road conditions to ensure their safety.鈥 Practice your emergency evacuation plans with your family so everyone is prepared and ready for any scenario.
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