Many of you probably don't know that September is National Preparedness Month. Around these parts, we had a taste last year of how scary preparing for Hurricane Irene was and we were very lucky to get away with minimal damage. This year, Hurricane Isaac has been wreaking havoc on the Gulf Coast and serves as an eerie reminder of the damage that was caused by the now infamous Hurricane Katrina. OEM (Office of Emergency Management) is urging all New Yorkers to sign up for Notify NYC. It is the City of New York's official source for information about emergency events and important City services. The best part about this great service is that it is completely free to join and use. By subscribing you receive text messages, e-mails, tweets, or phone calls about significant citywide events. Additionally, you will also receive notifications about smaller events that might be taking place right in your own neighborhood. The topics of these notifications will range from … [Read more...]
Are You Prepared For The 2012 Hurricane Season?
Last year, almost around this time of the year, we New Yorkers had a rude awakening about how truly we are prepared to deal with a natural weather disaster such as a hurricane. As Hurricane Irene tore a path of destruction along the East Coast, we all scrambled to purchase emergency supplies and to learn as much as we possibly could about what we should do in the event of a total loss. Luckily, the impact it had on New York City was minimal, however, it definitely taught all of us a lesson in the importance of knowing what to do in case of a weather emergency. As the 2012 hurricane season begins, we want to provide all of you with the resources that you will need to help you prepare your families before a major storm hits. This is of particular concern to New Yorkers who are not used to regularly dealing with weather emergencies. One way you can prepare is by checking out the New York Office of Emergency Management's (OEM)'s guide, READY NEW YORK: HURRICANES … [Read more...]