Storm reminds residents to be prepared for hurricane season

The storms that passed through Louisiana earlier this week brought with them damaging winds approaching hurricane-force of 70 mph southeast of Evangeline Parish, around Baton Rouge and New Orleans.
The strong winds and rainfall amounts should be a reminder that hurricane season begins in about a month, so residences should take the time to make their annual preparations.
Although this coming hurricane season is not expected to be active due to the El Nino effect and a cooler Atlantic Ocean, the same conditions in 1992 produced a very destructive Hurricane Andrew.
The National Weather Service (NWS) will begin, during the coming hurricane season, to declare storm surge watches and warnings associated with hurricanes, according to Andy Patrick, with the NWS Lake Charles office. Patrick said the new watches and warnings will assist local officials in planning evacuations.
Patrick said that while NWS can predict hurricanes or other damaging phenomena, and local officials can act accordingly, it’s up to individual households to make sure they are prepared.
Patrick said people need to get into the habit of restocking certain supplies every year. People should replenish plenty of water each year. Food that doesn’t need to be cooked also should be stored, including canned meat, such as Spam, Vienna sausage, tuna and peanut butter and crackers.
Tree branches should be trimmed if they are growing into any parts of a home, such as windows, awnings and roofs.
People should also have portable radios and lights, and plenty of batteries for them, and have a reserve of cash in case they have to evacuate.