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CONTACT:
Marc LaFountain, VDEM (804) 897-6510
FOR RELEASE AT WILL - May 17, 2007
Richmond, Va. - It is vital that every Virginian understand something about a hurricane: It could happen to you. Last year, inland flooding caused three federally declared disasters in southeastern, central and northern Virginia.
"Inland residents should be just as prepared for flooding as their coastal neighbors," said Michael Cline, state coordinator for the Virginia Department of Emergency Management. "A major tropical storm can happen to you, and there are simple, low-cost steps families can take to get ready: get a kit, make a plan, listen for instructions and learn your evacuation routes."
Getting an emergency supply kit, making a family disaster plan and listening for the latest information take little time and money, and provide your family with the tools and information they need when it counts. An emergency supply kit includes, among other things, essential items to last at least three days such as a battery-powered radio and extra batteries, food and water, flashlights, a first aid kit and medications.
Making a family disaster plan involves discussing the hazards and threats for your area and what your family would do during an actual emergency. As you create your plan, decide on a meeting place if your family cannot return home, designate an out-of-town friend or relative as a point-of-contact and plan for the specific needs of your household, such as an evacuation destination for pets or transportation for medical equipment.
Before, during and after a disaster, it is critical that you listen for the most local, up-to-date information from emergency officials. Local media will convey instructions from local, state and federal government partners, such as details about evacuation orders, how to safely stay where you are and when the emergency has passed.
Residents living inland should know where to go if ordered to evacuate their area. Flash floods can develop in a matter of minutes, with little or no warning. Know ahead of time where your family should go to find higher ground.
Detailed instructions on emergency supply kits and family disaster plans are available online at VDEM's Web site, www.vaemergency.com or through your local emergency manager. Members of the media can also find hurricane fact sheets, public service announcements, and other information on the Web site.
Even when hurricanes make landfall in other states, they can still cause significant damage and loss of life in Virginia; in fact, some of the worst storms in Virginia's history were from hurricanes that made landfall in other states. Tropical storms or depressions can be just as damaging or deadly as a hurricane. Hurricane Isabel was a tropical storm when it entered Virginia, and caused damage to 75 percent of the state, making it one of the costliest disasters in Virginia's history.
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