Hurricane Fear Is Not An Option

Hurricane Preparedness is a major way to reduce fear and anxiety.

Have you ever awakened in the night with the cold chill of fear and anxiety that something terrible was about to happen? Most everyone has had that sort of experience at some time in their lives. It certainly is no fun.

One of the important things to remember is that as long as we have life we can move forward with our lives. There is always something we can do to reduce the fear and travel forward on the path of life and happiness.

Well right now is a time that everyone who lives in a hurricane or other natural disaster prone are area should have at least one sleepless night wondering and worrying about the possibility a disaster occurring in their area. Fear can be a fantastic stimulus to get us moving pro actively on address a perceived danger and an actual possibility.

The following article is a go start at reflecting on hat you need to be doing this Hurricane Preparedness month to get things in order at your own home and work / school location. IF he school does not have an emergency kit for every child then do yourself and every child and teacher in the school a great favor and insist that every family prepare a disaster kit for their child at school. If a child is not able to afford a disaster kit then the school needs to know this and help them obtain one. This may be the greatest end of the year project that a school can have.

Come on folks, let’s get prepared and then let the fear turn into positive action that can save a number of lives including possibly yours as well.

COMMENTS WELCOMED!

Please share your thoughts, emergency preparedness tips and stories here on this blog.

All I ask is that everyone be respectful and sensitive of each other and that identifying information about a person who is not the author be limited to protect their privacy.

Be Safe

Terrie

www.trainforahurricane.com

Officials stress planning for storm season

By ROBERT NAPPER

rnapper@bradenton.com

http://www.bradenton.com/local/story/538040.html

MANATEE --

"Failure is not an option."

That was the slogan that dominated a meeting Wednesday of local and state officials preparing for the upcoming hurricane season.

With less than seven weeks until hurricane season, Florida Division of Emergency Management Deputy Chief Ruben Almaguer addressed more than a dozen county and city officials at Manatee County's new Emergency Operations Center.

He stressed the need for planning, not only by government officials, but also by citizens.

"Get a plan. I can't stress that enough," he said. "Take care of yourself, then take care of your neighbor."

Almaguer said Florida has for the most part been spared a major hurricane the past two years, so the need for public officials to urge preparedness is crucial this season.

"We have been fortunate in one sense for the past two years," Almaguer said. "But, on the other hand, people are becoming more complacent every day. People forget about their role, which is actually most important. That is to be prepared."

Almaguer showed graphics of just how susceptible Florida has been to hurricanes over the last hundred years.

Florida has been hit with 26 category 3 to 5 hurricanes since 1900. That's more than double Louisiana, the state that came in second, with 12.

Almaguer also discussed the financial costs of hurricane recovery.

He said it will be five more years before the state is done paying off debt related to recovery from the devastating 2004 hurricane season, which included Category 4 Hurricane Charley.

"In fact, we just wrote the last check a few days ago for Hurricane Andrew," Almaguer said.

A room full of officials from Manatee County, Bradenton, Palmetto, Bradenton Beach and Holmes Beach listened intently.

"This is all information we need to consider and use," county Commissioner Carol Whitmore said.