AgriLife Extension helping promote National Hurricane Awareness Week in Texas

Writer: Paul Schattenberg, 210-859-5752, [email protected]

Contact: Dr. Andy Vestal, 979-862-3013, [email protected]

Joyce Cavanagh, 979-845-3859, [email protected]

COLLEGE STATION – The Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service is helping promote National Hurricane Preparedness Week, May 7-13.

“The idea behind the week is to help keep hurricane safety education in mind prior to the start of the 2017 hurricane season, which will begin June 1,” said Dr. Andy Vestal, AgriLife Extension specialist — emergency management, College Station. “AgriLife Extension is asking Texans to take advantage of this opportunity to learn more about hurricane preparedness to protect their families, homes, businesses, farms and ranches.”

Vestal said agency efforts include asking AgriLife Extension agents throughout the state to promote the Texas Extension Disaster Education Network, or Texas EDEN, website and preparedness materials along with the Federal Emergency Management Agency’s Ready Campaign.

He said hurricane season in the Atlantic and the Caribbean begins around June 1 and lasts through Nov. 30.

“Unfortunately, it’s nearly impossible to know if a hurricane is approaching any sooner than five to seven days out, so it’s vital that people, especially those in coastal areas, take the time to prepare well in advance,” Vestal said.

He said one way people can prepare for a disaster is to be informed by reading and following the advice in preparedness publications available through the Texas EDEN website at http://texashelp.tamu.edu, as well as the Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Bookstore at https://agrilifelearn.tamu.edu/s/.

“The Texas EDEN and bookstore websites have additional information on disaster preparation and recovery, most of which is free,” Vestal said. “There are also e-book format downloads available for mobile devices.”

He said disaster preparedness and recovery materials offered through AgriLife Extension contain useful information provided by the agency and other Texas A&M University System experts, as well as experts from state and federal agencies and the national land-grant university Extension system.

Joyce Cavanagh, AgriLife Extension family economics specialist in College Station and emergency publication author, said one of the main things Texans should consider in preparing for a hurricane or other disaster is having an emergency kit for the home, office and each vehicle.

“An emergency kit should contain enough supplies to take care of immediate family members for at least three days,” she said. “Some essential contents include bottled water, non-perishable foods, a hand-operated can opener, face protection masks, extra clothing, a first-aid kit, gloves, blankets, toiletries, battery- or hand-powered flashlight, weather radio, spare batteries, garbage bags, medications and anti-bacterial cleaners or wipes,” she said.

Cavanagh said information on preparing for an emergency, including suggested items for the kit, can be found in the Texans, Get Ready! and Preparing for the Unexpected publications on the AgriLife Extension bookstore and Texas EDEN websites.

She also noted the need to prepare a “grab-and-go” box containing important documents and financial records in the event of an emergency situation.

“The AgriLife Extension publication EFCS-005, Personal and Family Financial Records Inventory, available on the bookstore website, will provide guidance for a handy way to consolidate personal and family financial information,” she said.

For more information, connect with AgriLife Extension on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/agrilifeextension, Twitter at https://twitter.com/txextension/ or Pinterest at https://www.pinterest.com/txextension/disaster-preparedness/.