The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration is predicting 11 to 17 named storms for this year’s Atlantic hurricane season that begins June 1 and extends through the end of November. Five to nine of those storms are predicted to become hurricanes.

The Gulf Coast area is vulnerable, as recent hurricane seasons have shown.

“The time to prepare for a hurricane is now, not when a storm is churning in the Gulf,” said Nathan Green, fire marshal for the University of Houston at Sugar Land.

Green offers these suggestions:

• Take a look at your homeowners insurance. Be familiar with your coverage, particularly if you have or need flood insurance. There is a 30-day waiting period for such policies to take effect. Once a storm is in the Gulf you are not likely to secure a policy.
• Prepare an Evacuation Bag. This bag should be kept in a convenient location so it can be grabbed quickly in the event of an evacuation. Place important documents, such as birth certificates, social security cards and insurance policies, in the bag. Also consider prescriptions for you, family and pets, and cash.
• Make sure the gas tank to your vehicle is always full
• Read more about Hurricane Preparedness. www.uh.edu/emergency-management/planning-and-response/building-department-preparedness/hurricane-preparedness/index/

As part of your hurricane preparation, make sure you can receive all emergency information from the UH ALERT Emergency Notification System.  Make sure your contact information is up to date. To update your emergency contact information, visit alerts.uh.edu/update-contact-information/

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