Prepare Now for an Above Average Hurricane Season

The Atlantic hurricane season officially begins June 1 and ends Nov. 30.

“We’re less than a month away from the start of our hurricane season, so now is the time to get ready,” said Clint Robichaux, director of distribution operations and reliability for Cleco Power. “Louisiana’s proximity to the Gulf Coast makes us prone to hurricanes, so our best defense is preparation.”

Researchers are predicting another above-normal Atlantic hurricane season. Colorado State University (CSU) provides a yearly forecast and has forecasted 19 named storms. Of the 19 storms, CSU expects nine of them to become hurricanes and four to become major hurricanes (Category 3 or higher). According to CSU, an average season is one with 14 named storms, seven hurricanes and three major hurricanes.

“One hurricane can change your life,” said Robichaux. “These storms can cause extended power outages, significant property damage and loss of life. Preparing now could help keep you and your loved ones safe.”

Over the past two years, Louisiana has been severely impacted by a total of four hurricanes – Laura, Delta and Zeta in 2020 and Ida in 2021.

Below are steps you can take to prepare for the 2022 hurricane season:

Prepare a storm kit.

Gather supplies you might need during a power outage, including cash, batteries, battery-powered radio to receive news media updates, flashlights, canned food, manual can opener, bottled water, medication and a first aid kit. You should have 1 gallon per person per day. So a family of four should have a minimum of 12 gallons of water stored in case of emergency.

Review your insurance policies.

Contact your insurance company or agent and ask for an insurance checkup to ensure you have adequate insurance coverage for property damage. Take pictures or video of the inside and outside areas of your home or business for potential insurance needs. Also, home and renters’ insurance typically don’t cover flooding, so inquire about flood insurance, if needed.

Develop an evacuation plan in case you have to evacuate.

Find out if you live in a flood-prone area and plan where you would go and how you would get there. Also, plan ahead for medical or special needs and pets. In Terrebonne Parish, you can determine your evacuation zone here: http://tohsep.com/Evacuation

Test your generator to make sure it’s working.

Portable generators, when used correctly, can provide backup power to your home or business in the event of a power outage. Always operate your generator according to manufacturer instructions and in an open, well-ventilated area.

You can find more information on forming your hurricane readiness plans at www.getagameplan.org. 

Plan to Stay in Business

Local businesses should also take steps to prepare themselves for emergencies. 

If your organization is vulnerable to hurricanes, it is important that you understand your risk, develop a preparedness and mitigation plan, and take action. Doing so will not only increase the safety of employees and customers, but it will help you remain in business after disasters, such as tropical storms and hurricanes, strike. Maintaining business continuity is important. When you are able to continue operations after a disaster, you also improve your community’s ability to recover.

Business continuity planning must account for all hazards (both man-made and natural disasters). Plan in advance to manage any emergency situation. Assess the situation, use common sense and available resources to take care of yourself, your co-workers and your business’s recovery. Carefully evaluate internal and external operations to determine which staff members, materials, procedures and equipment are absolutely necessary to keep the business operating.

• Talk to Your People – A solid business emergency plan only works if everyone on your team is aware of the plan and the actions they need to take. Include people from all levels in emergency planning.
• Promote Preparedness – Encourage your employees and their families to: Get a Kit, Make a Plan, Be Informed.
• Crisis Communication Plan – Detail how you will be in contact with employees, customers and others during and after a disaster.
• Employee Health – People who have experienced a disaster may have special recovery needs.

As well as planning for an emergency, you can also take steps to protect your company and secure your physical assets.

• Insurance Coverage- Policies vary, meet with your provider to review current coverage.
• Utility Disruptions – Prepare for extended outages during and after a disaster.
• Facilities, Buildings & Plants – Take steps to secure physical assets.
• Equipment – Conduct a room-by-room walk-through to determine what needs to be secured.
• Building Air Protection – Assess the HVAC system to improve indoor air quality.
• Cyber Security – Protect your data and information technology systems.

For more information on devising a business emergency plan, please visit ready.gov/business