Massachusetts Gov. Maura Healey declared “Hurricane Preparedness Week” across the state over the coming days, as the first storm of the season moves across the U.S.
“With tropical storms becoming more frequent and intense, I encourage everyone living in or visiting Massachusetts to use Hurricane Preparedness Week to make the plans necessary to stay safe,” said Healey. “Last year’s hurricane season was devastating to parts of the southeast, and Hurricane Helene demonstrated how hurricanes can have severe impacts far from coastal areas.”
The initiative week will last from July 6 to 12, to “emphasize the importance of planning and preparing for hurricanes and tropical systems,” the state said. Hurricane season most often impacts the New England region from August to September.
The Atlantic Hurricane Season lasts from June 1 to Nov. 30 each year, officials said, and NOAA forecasters expect this season to see an “above-normal” range of 13-19 named storms. Last season totaled 18.
The announcement comes just days after the first system of the season, Tropical Storm Chantal, made landfall in South Carolina.
The Massachusetts Emergency Management Agency will use the week to bring awareness to “practical steps and informational resources” for individuals, families, business and municipalities on protecting life and property from the threat of the storms, the state said.
Lt. Gov. Kim Driscoll warned tropical storms can bring “dangerous winds and flooding anywhere from Provincetown to Pittsfield.”
For the initiative, MEMA has published online hurricane safety tips and resources, distributed a multilingual hurricane preparedness toolkits, and partnered to display preparedness messaging on digital billboards and buses, state officials said.
MEMA stated they are also preparing and training for the season, including on the online tool to coordinate evacuations locally Hurrevac.
MEMA Director Dawn Brantley said now is the time to take “simple, affordable” safety steps.
“Start with what you have—create a basic emergency plan that includes everyone’s needs and build an emergency kit using low-cost items you can gather over time,” Brantley said. “Being prepared doesn’t have to be expensive, but it can make all the difference.”
State officials recommend resident prepare by knowing your evacuation zone; making an emergency plan on how to communicate, evacuate and take shelter; building a kit for three to five days without power; and staying informed with multiple methods for receiving emergency alerts.
Information can be received via local notification systems, the state’s 211 hotline, Emergency Alert System, NOAA Weather Radio and more resources listed on mass.gov’s emergency alert page.
More information on hurricane preparedness can be found on MEMA’s Hurricane Season Preparedness page.
(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by PostX News and is published from a syndicated feed.)
