Preparing for Hurricane Season
Living on St. Croix means that hurricane season and the inclement weather it brings are just part of life. Atlantic Hurricane season is officially June 1 through November 30 each year, with September usually being the most active month. While technology has made forecasting tropical storms and hurricanes more accurate, they can still be unpredictable. With extremely high winds and heavy rains, these storms often cause flooding, property damage, and sometimes even loss of life. The one thing you can do to protect yourself, your family, and your property is to be as prepared as possible for any storm situation during hurricane season.
We here at GoToStCroix.com want you and your family to be safe in the event of a storm, so we have compiled a list of resources you'll want to have available, as well as some articles to help you specifically prepare your home, family, pets, boats and more.
Hurricane Preparedness & Severe Weather Resources
- VITEMA (Virgin Islands Territory Emergency Management Agency): www.vitema.vi.gov | www.facebook.com/vitema/ | St. Croix Office: (340) 773-2244
- Alert VI: sign up for the emergency mass notifications, including severe weather alerts
- NOAA National Hurricane Center: www.nhc.noaa.gov | Tropical Cyclones: A Preparedness Guide PDF
- US Virgin Islands Tropical Hurricane Weather Station (local forecast): www.facebook.com/NorthsideWeatherStation/
- Department of Homeland Security: www.ready.gov/hurricanes
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention: www.cdc.gov/disasters/hurricanes/index.html
- FEMA (Federal Emergency Management Agency): In the event of a hurricane, FEMA will provide information at www.fema.gov
- American Red Cross: After a disaster, you can register on the 'Safe and Well' list (or find you family members or friends that have registered) at safeandwell.org.
If you or someone you love has a disability, in addition to having your basic survival supplies you should prepare an emergency kit should have items to meet your individual needs in various emergencies. Consider the items you use every day and which ones you may need to add to your kit. For more tips, go to www.ready.gov/disability.
