Release Number: HQ-11-130
WASHINGTON, D.C. -- As Hurricane Irene intensifies, the Federal Emergency Management Agency is coordinating federal response efforts to support territory and local officials in Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands, while urging families along coastal areas of the southeastern U.S. to closely monitor the storm and to take steps to prepare for potential severe weather in the coming days.
According to the National Weather Service, earlier today Irene strengthened into the first hurricane of the 2011 Atlantic Hurricane Season. At the direction of President Obama and Department of Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano, FEMA has been closely monitoring the storm through its regional offices in New York City, Atlanta and its Caribbean Area Office in Puerto Rico, and remains in constant contact and coordination with emergency management officials in the U.S. Virgin Islands and Puerto Rico. FEMA has also been proactively reaching out to states along the Gulf Coast and East Coast as they prepare for Irene.
"FEMA, along with the entire federal family, is closely monitoring Hurricane Irene, and is coordinating with all of our state and territorial partners that have or could potentially be impacted by this storm. We stand ready to support the areas that have already been impacted and encourage those residents to continue listening to the instructions of their local officials," said FEMA Administrator Craig Fugate. "For residents in states that may be affected later this week, it's critical that you take this storm seriously and take steps now to prepare your families, homes and businesses. Visit Ready.gov or Listo.gov to learn how."
According to the National Weather Service, Hurricane Irene could impact the southeastern U.S. later this week. Read the most recent forecast from the National Weather Service's National Hurricane Center.
FEMA encourages everyone in the impacted areas to continue to monitor weather conditions and listen to the direction of local and territory officials.
In advance of the storm, FEMA proactively deployed regional Incident Management Assistance Teams to the Virgin Islands and Puerto Rico to coordinate with territory and local officials toentify needs and possible shortfalls impacting potential disaster response and recovery efforts. Additionally, FEMA has embedded staff in the Virgin Islands and Puerto Rico emergency operations centers, to further strengthen coordination.
At all times, FEMA maintains commodities, including millions of liters of water, millions of meals and hundreds of thousands of blankets, strategically located at distribution centers throughout the United States and its territories. In Puerto Rico, for instance, FEMA has more than 200,000 liters of water, more than 400,000 meals and more than 1,400 cots and blankets. These commodities are meant to supplement territorial resources if needed, but it's critical that individuals and families build their own emergency supply kits, so that in the event of a disaster, state and local resources can be focused on our most vulnerable residents.
FEMA encourages everyone, regardless of whether they live in a hurricane-prone area, to take steps to ensure their family, homes and businesses are prepared for a possible emergency. Important items to have ready in case of an emergency include a battery-powered radio (like a NOAA Weather Radio), flashlight, extra batteries, medicines, non-perishable food, hand-operated can opener, utility knife and first aid supplies. Important documents, such as medical records, contracts, property deeds, leases, banking records, insurance records and birth certificates, should be copied and kept in a safe place.
As is always the case, state and local officials make decisions on issuing evacuation orders, so remember to listen to the direction of your local officials and be sure to know your evacuation route in case evacuation orders are given.
For more information on individual and family preparedness, visit www.Ready.gov or www.Listo.gov. Information can also be found on your smartphone at m.fema.gov.
Follow FEMA online at blog.fema.gov, www.twitter.com/fema, www.facebook.com/fema, and www.youtube.com/fema. Also, follow Administrator Craig Fugate's activities at www.twitter.com/craigatfema.
The social media links provided are for reference only. FEMA does not endorse any non-government websites, companies or applications.
FEMA's mission is to support our citizens and first responders to ensure that as a nation we work together to build, sustain, and improve our capability to prepare for, protect against, respond to, recover from, and mitigate all hazards.