Page 14 - South Mississippi Living - July, 2024

BE PREPARED
@gulfofmexicoalliance
COAST NOTE
Coastal Homeowner’s Handbook
story by Amanda Nalley photo courtesy of Gulf of Mexico Alliance
With hurricane season underway, the Gulf of Mexico Alliance encourages everyone to reduce their storm risks and be better prepared. This year, a brand new resource is available for homeowners and other residents in Coastal Mississippi. The Coastal Homeowner’s Handbook mobile app is the phone- friendly version of our tried and true Homeowner’s Handbook to Prepare for Natural Disasters.
The app includes detailed content from leading organizations in preparedness and recovery on preparing for a storm, what to do after a storm hits, insurance, and more. Users can also get the latest weather updates for their location, find emergency contact information for who to call when a disaster occurs, and create customized preparedness checklists. The app is available from the App Store or Google Play.
In addition to downloading the Coastal Homeowner’s Handbook app, check out these tips help keep your family, home, and community safe this hurricane season:
Know your risks and have a plan for what to do
if you need to evacuate. Share your evacuation plan with others so they know you are headed
to a safer location.
Make sure you have everything you need (food, water, medicine, and supplies) for each member
of your family for at least three days after a
storm.
Don’t forget
your pets.
Be ready in case the
power goes out. Stock
up on batteries for a radio and
flashlights. Keep gas in your vehicle and have cash on hand. Remember, gas pumps, ATMs, and credit card readers don’t work without power!
Trim trees near your home and pick up loose debris around your property. Have a place where you can store patio furniture, trash cans, and other loose items that could blow around during a storm.
Get to know your neighbors. Your local community and those
who live near you will be the first ones to help after a disaster.
“Hurricanes are a part of life for residents along the Gulf Coast. Knowing the risks and having a
plan are things we can all do to protect our family and homes,” said Laura Bowie, executive director for the Gulf of Mexico Alliance. We all hope for a quiet hurricane season, but being prepared can make us feel a little less worried.
14 | July 2024
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