Hurricane season is coming & your best defense is to be prepared

"All indications are that it is going to be a busy hurricane season", says Regional Emergency Coordinator John Davison. According to information circulated in a recent Environment Canada briefing for Emergency Management representatives, it is being predicted that between 13 and 19 named storms could make up hurricane season in 2020 which typically runs from June to November. Three of these named storms have already occurred and six of these 19 hurricanes could reach major hurricane status.

Davison said if the predictions are correct, Pictou County needs to be prepared for the worst and hope for the best. He said warnings will be missed by Emergency Management Organizations, but people can prepare now by having some goods in storage and their generators working order so everything isn’t left to the last minute.

“Dorian is our most recent reminder of how bad things can get if just one of these hurricanes tracks up the Atlantic Coast,” he said. “The more prepared you are, the safer and more comfortable you will be to wait out the storm and the recovery period afterward.”

According to the Canadian Red Cross, the key to staying safe is to prepare and to have an emergency plan in place. - Listen to local news and weather reports for any potential hurricane watches and warnings in your area. - Find out if you live in an area where hurricanes could happen and sign up for local alerts. - Trim dead branches and cut down dead trees to reduce the danger of these falling onto your house. If you live on the coast or in a low-lying area near the coast, be ready to move inland or to higher ground. High winds can create large waves, which may become storm surges when they reach the shore. - Be prepared for power outages with sufficient food, water, and medications.

The Emergency Management Office (EMO) also suggests that residents take the following steps to minimize the risk of property and personal damage from a hurricane or tropical storm: - enough food and water for 72 hours monitoring local media outlets for updates - securing gates, doors and windows - moving yard furniture and securing trash cans, hanging plants and anything that can be picked up by the wind - checking radio batteries - filling vehicles with gas and parking them away from trees

Two help Apps to keep you update include: Red Cross Be Ready App: https://www.redcross.ca/…/emergencies-and-disa…/be-ready-app Environment and Climate Change Canada Weather App: https://www.canada.ca/…/weather-general-too…/weathercan.html