Taking precautions before, during, and after a hurricane can save lives and reduce property damage, says Justice and Public Safety Minister Doug W. Currie.
“Public Safety officers are tracking Hurricane Irene, which, as of Thursday afternoon, is a category three hurricane moving through the Bahamas,” said Mr. Currie. “While we won’t know for a few days how Irene will impact our region, we do know that even a significantly weakened system can carry high winds, heavy rain and flooding and can cause widespread destruction. We continue to encourage Islanders to be prepared.”
Tropical storms bring heavy rain and strong winds and often result in storm surges. Often the most destructive effect of a hurricane is the resulting storm surge, which can cause serious flooding.
“It is important that Islanders and visitors take steps to get prepared and stay informed as hurricane season continues,” said Mr. Currie. “This is also a good time to review insurance policies, and document or photograph essential property.”
Tropical storms and hurricanes typically form in the warm waters of the Gulf of Mexico, the Caribbean Sea, and the tropical Atlantic Ocean. These storms can make their way up the Atlantic coast of the US and into Atlantic Canada before tapering off.
Prince Edward Island, represented by the Office of Public Safety, is a member of the International Emergency Management Group (IEMG) which enables mutual aid capabilities between the five Eastern Canadian provinces and six New England States. IEMG members work together to prepare for large scale emergencies, like major hurricanes, and are positioned to provide assistance to other member jurisdictions respond to and recover from the effects of catastrophic events when required.
For more information follow PEIPublicSafety on Facebook and Twitter, or online at www.peipublicsafety.ca.
BACKGROUNDER -- Hurricane Preparedness Tips:
What you can do:
• Make your home and property more secure and less vulnerable to storms.
• Secure everything that might be tossed around or become a projectile. Flying objects such as garbage cans, lawn furniture, construction material, even toys, can injure people and damage property.
• Trim dead branches and cut down dead trees to reduce the danger of these falling onto your house during a storm.
• Make sure everyone in your family knows what to do, where to go and how to stay connected during a storm.
• Find out in advance where to get weather forecasts and emergency announcements (local media, online, etc.).
• If you live on the coast or in a low-lying area near the coast, move inland and to higher ground.
What you should have on hand:
• Stock up on water, ready-to-eat food and heating fuel, as well as battery-powered or wind-up flashlights and radios – and extra batteries.
• Make sure that there is gasoline in the car.
• Cash could come in handy if there is a prolonged power outage and ATMs and credit machines don’t work.
• If you are advised by officials to evacuate, take your emergency kit with you.
• It’s important to keep your emergency kit fully stocked with what you need, and everyone in your home has to know where it is kept.
Check out the following discussion board posts on the Office of Public Safety Facebook page for more information on what to pack in your emergency preparedness kit: Checklist for Grab and Go kit; Home Emergency Preparedness Kit list; Preparing an Emergency Kit for Your Car; Safety During a Hurricane or Tropical Storm.
During a storm:
• Seek shelter in a secure building. Do not go outside. Hurricane winds can quickly change direction or grow stronger.
• NEVER go down to the shore to watch the storm. Most people who are killed during hurricanes are caught in large waves, storm surges or flood waters.
Stay informed:
• Follow Environment Canada’s hurricane bulletins on the internet at www.weatheroffice.gc.ca, on Weatheradio, or through local media.
• On your computer or your web-enabled cell phone, follow the PEI Office of Public Safety facebook and Twitter for updates, notices, warnings and helpful safety information.
• During a power outage, listen to local media on your portable radio for weather updates or advice from emergency officials.
• Learn more from the Canadian Hurricane Centre: www.hurricanes.ca