h/t to Congressman Jim Moran who, along with many others, sent along an important message about being prepared for Hurricane Irene … here’s what his had to offer …
 |
Hurricane Irene is expected to reach Virginia this weekend. While we do not yet know the impacts of the storm, I encourage Northern Virginia residents to stay up to date on Irene’s progress and take the necessary steps to prepare. As President Obama noted this morning, Hurricane Irene is on track to cause serious damage along the East Coast.
Below is useful information to help keep you informed, prepared, and ready for the hurricane. I will continue working with local, state, and federal officials to keep you updated on critical developments. Please check my website, Facebook page, and Twitter account for updates and preparation tips.
Sincerely,
James P. Moran
Stay Informed:
Track Hurricane Irene’s path with the National Hurricane Center at http://www.nhc.noaa.gov and follow updates from FEMA at http://blog.fema.gov.
You can also receive mobile updates by visiting http://m.fema.gov/
When listening to the weather forecast, it is important to understand the meaning of watches and warnings.
Hurricane Watch: Hurricane conditions are possible, usually within 36 hours.
Hurricane Warning: Hurricane conditions are expected, usually within 24 hours.
Be Prepared:
Hurricane Irene is expected to bring strong winds and heavy rains to the region this weekend. This could result in tree damage and downed power lines. Be prepared for the impact of the storm by preparing an emergency kit, developing an emergency plan, and staying informed.
Your emergency kit should have food, water, medications (be sure refill any supply of essential prescription drugs), a first aid kit, batteries, flashlights, and other essentials on hand to last several days. Be sure to fill up your car’s gas tank.
You should prepare your pets for a disaster as well, FEMA has useful instructions here: http://www.fema.gov/plan/prepare/animals.shtm
For low-lying areas in close proximity to the Potomac River and major streams, flooding is possible. Please take flood preparation into account. Check your municipality’s website (below) to find out if they are distributing sandbags.
Additional Considerations:
- Be a good neighbor. Keep an eye out and lend a hand to the elderly and disabled who may need help with transportation and medical concerns.
- Teach children how to reach family members in case they become separated during a storm.
- Discuss how to dial emergency numbers and practicing escape routes from all rooms with your children. The emergency number for fire, police, and ambulance is 911.
- Bring in any outdoor furniture that could be picked up by the wind.
- Turn off propane tanks and small appliances.
Helpful numbers:
- Fairfax County Office of Emergency Management: 571-350-1000
- Arlington County Office of Emergency Management: 703-228-7935
- City of Alexandria Hurricane Preparedness: http://alexandriava.gov/Hurricane
- Falls Church Office of Emergency Management: 703-248-5200
- Dominion Power: 1-866-DOM-HELP to report power outages
- Washington Gas: www.washgas.com or 703-750-1000
- Comcast: 1-800-COMCAST
Helpful websites:
- Virginia Department of Emergency Management http://www.vaemergency.gov/readyvirginia
- City of Alexandria Hurricane Preparedness: http://alexandriava.gov/Hurricane
- Arlington County Office of Emergency Management: http://www.arlingtonva.us/Departments/EmergencyManagement/EmergencyManagementMain.aspx
- Fairfax County Office of Emergency Management: www.fairfaxcounty.gov/oem
- Falls Church Hurricane Preparedness: http://www.fallschurchva.gov/Content/Government/Departments/PublicSafety/EmergPrep/EmergencyPreparedness.aspx?&cnlid=181
- American Red Cross Hurricane Safety Checklist: http://www.redcross.org/www-files/Documents/pdf/Preparedness/checklists/Hurricane.pdf
