Hurricane season has just begun, but it’s not too late to prepare for a disastrous storm.  According to Ready Georgia, an emergency preparedness campaign from the Georgia Emergency Management Agency, preparing your home and family can be done quickly and easily, ensuring you have the resources needed to survive a hurricane for at least three days until help can arrive.

“Our research indicates that up to 80 percent of Georgians are not prepared for a large scale emergency,” said Charley English, GEMA and Homeland Security director. “We strongly encourage each household to create a ready kit, develop a family communications plan and stay informed about potential threats.”

Officials are predicting that the 2008 Atlantic hurricane season, which runs from June 1 through Nov. 30, will be particularly active. According the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, there will be about 15 named hurricanes and two to five of these could turn into major storms with winds higher than 110 miles per hour. As coastal states are more vulnerable to strong storms that can change course suddenly, it is crucial that Georgians prepare now.   

By visiting the Ready Georgia Web site, ready.ga.gov, Georgians can find a checklist of items for a ready kit, such as a NOAA weather radio, a flashlight with extra batteries and bottled water. Visitors will find pertinent information about how to create a family communications plan and how to stay informed and respond to different disasters. For example, you should know the safest place to take shelter in your home to weather a hurricane, and also know where to go if you must evacuate.

For more information about hurricane and general emergency preparedness, visit ready.ga.gov.