FEMA encouraging hurricane season preparedness

Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) officials are encouraging Puerto Rico residents to get their families and property prepared for hurricane season.

“Getting ready for hurricane season should be a routine to residents in the Caribbean area, since it only takes one weather event to destroy properties and threaten lives,” FEMA Region 2 Administrator David Warrington said. “We all have learned that the tough way. While keeping a consistent pace on current recovery operations due to hurricanes Fiona and Maria, and other events, FEMA maintains a complete workforce solely focused on providing Puerto Rico with preparedness resources to be ready for the next emergency incident.”

FEMA noted the agency has coordinated through the Caribbean Area Office in Puerto Rico (CAO-PR) a series of preparedness initiatives integrating lessons learned into exercises, drills, seminars and workshops, where local, state, and federal stakeholders bring experience and knowledge to develop a whole community approach to emergency preparedness.

“We continue to work with our state counterparts and provide preparedness resources to all sectors involved in preparedness, whether municipalities, private sector, non-profit and faith-based entities, so that they are ready to assist and support,” CAO-PR Coordinator Orlando Olivera said. “We have hired and trained additional personnel and have increased our supply of communication equipment to reinforce federal communication capabilities. We will continue our deep commitment with our communities because they are taking the steps before a disaster strikes.”

FEMA resources at the ready, per the agency, include personnel, as well as commodities available in warehouses strategically located throughout the island with more than 8.8 million liters of water; over six million ready-to-eat meals (MREs); more than 200 generators; over 90,000 tarps; more than 28,000 plastic covers; and over 10,300 cots, among other emergency supplies.