2019 Hurricane Season Has Begun
The 2019 hurricane season officially began Friday, June 1, and continues until Nov. 30. This year, the hurricane research team at Colorado State University is forecasting 13 named storms for the entire season.
The St. Mary’s County Department of Emergency Services has issued a press release to remind everyone that staying safe during hurricane season starts with a simple step: Have A Plan.
Southern Maryland residents can get ready for the hurricane season by using a simple guide at Ready.gov. Plans should be mapped out for every member of the family. And animal lovers need to remember that they need a plan, as well.
Plans include understanding how to decide whether it’s safe to hunker down at home during a storm or whether families will need to evacuate their homes. If so, there will probably be a specific route residents should take in the event of evacuations, as many roads are likely to be closed. If residents must leave their homes, they also need to figure out accommodations during the storm.
Predetermining an emergency meeting site and protocol is a helpful plan to have. Sometimes, local cellular lines are overloaded during a storm, so residents should consider texting instead of calling. Another alternative is to have a central contact away from the region, perhaps in another state, who can relay messages between family members.
The list of hurricane names that could come into play during the 2019 Atlantic hurricane season (including the North Atlantic, Caribbean, and Gulf of Mexico) according to the World Meteorological Organization, includes:
Andrea, Barry, Chantal, Dorian, Erin, Ferdinand, Gabrielle, Humberto, Imelda, Jerry, Karen, Lorenzo, Melissa, Nestor, Olga, Pablo, Rebekah, Sebastien, Tanya, Van, and Wendy.
To learn about Disasters and Hazards, Being Prepared and Being Informed visit the St. Mary’s County Emergency Services site.
For more about Lexington Park, visit the St. Mary’s County Community Development Corporation’s Leader member page.
St. Mary’s County Community Development Corporation
46940 South Shangri-La Drive, Suite 7
Lexington Park, MD 20653
301-863-7700
