Release Date: April 10, 2007
Release Number: 1604-532
» More Information on Mississippi Hurricane Katrina
BILOXI, Miss. -- The 2007 hurricane season starts in eight weeks, and forecasters say this hurricane season could be nearly as destructive as 2005, the worst on record. The U.S. Department of Homeland Security's Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and the Mississippi Emergency Management Agency (MEMA) remind Mississippi residents to begin their emergency preparations now.
"As we continue the recovery from Hurricane Katrina, we need to be mindful of the lessons we've learned. Now is the time for individuals to take responsibility for being prepared for the next hurricane season," said Dennis Kizziah, acting director for FEMA's Mississippi Transitional Recovery Office.
"With all the information and assistance that is readily available, there really is no substitute for being aware and getting yourself and your family ready, especially now in the days before hurricane season begins," said Mike Womack, director of MEMA.
FEMA and MEMA recommend taking the following steps to prepare for hurricane season:
Develop a family disaster plan and know how to stay safe in a hurricane.
Put together a disaster kit and store it in a portable container in case of evacuation. The kit should include:
Protect your home and property:
Visit www.ready.gov, www.fema.gov, or www.msmema.org for more information about getting your family and your property prepared for the approaching hurricane season.
FEMA coordinates the federal government's role in preparing for, preventing, mitigating the effects of, responding to, and recovering from all domestic disasters, whether natural or man-made, including acts of terror.
Disaster recovery assistance is available without regard to race, color, sex, religion, national origin, age, disability, economic status or retaliation. If you or someone you know has been discriminated against, you should call FEMA toll-free at 1-800-621-FEMA (3362) or contact your State Office of Equal rights. If suspicious of any abuse of FEMA programs, please contact the fraud hotline at 1-800-323-8603.
Last Modified: Tuesday, 10-Apr-2007 10:28:16