Hurricane Season Has Started; Katy Residents Should Be Ready

KATY MAGAZINE NEWS

June 16, 2019

By Natalie Cook Clark

Katy residents should prepare for hurricane season in case a storm forms or enters the Gulf. We've collected some important tips to help families be ready at home and on the road.

Lessons from Harvey

13 million people were affected by Hurricane Harvey when it stalled out over the Greater Houston area late August of 2017. The storm was one of the most devastating natural disasters in Texas history.

With hurricane season upon us, Katy residents need to prepare their families and homes in case a dangerous storm targets the area.

Planning Ahead

Here are some simple, easy tips to help prepare your family:

• Build an emergency kit. Know your first aid supplies.

• Refill any important medication on time to avoid running out.

• Make a family communications plan. Know where to go and meet during a disaster.

• Know the routes you need to leave your home (evacuation routes).

• Locate your local emergency shelters.

• Closely watch/listen to the weather reports, listening every hour as the storm nears.

• Put fuel in all vehicles and withdraw some cash from the bank. Gas stations and ATMs may be closed after a hurricane.

• If authorities ask you to leave, do so quickly.

• If you leave (evacuate), be alert to flooded or washed-out roads. Just a few inches of water can float a car. Think: Turn Around, Don’t Drown.

• Keep a photo I.D. that shows your home address. You will need it when asking police if it is okay for you to re-enter your area or home.

• Secure your property.

• Evacuate all pets to shelters and have vaccination records ready.

Flood Insurance

Residents should also follow up and ensure they have flood insurance. Remember that renters can get flood insurance for contents. All flood insurance goes through FEMA but can be arranged by contacting your home insurance provider. When you add flood insurance, there is a 30-day period until it is active.

"What we experienced in the Tax Day flood and especially Harvey was a God event that I hope never happens again," says Mayor Bill Hastings. Yet now is the time to prepare so that residents aren't caught off guard in case a disaster forms.

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