Hurricanes

Atlantic Ocean and Gulf of Mexicohttp://hurricanesafety.org/mediakit/masondixon_poll.pdf

These results from a recent poll indicate that adults who live in states that front the Atlantic Ocean and Gulf of Mexico lack a significant level of knowledge about hurricanes and how to best prepare for them.

Orlando Sentinelwww.orlandosentinel.com/news/weather/hurricaneguide/

The Orlando Sentinel has published this hurricane survival guide, which features 10 lessons learned from the 2004 hurricane season and additional information for local residents, including important phone numbers and a list of shelters.

MessageOnewww.messageone.com/s113/

MessageOne offers this Executive Guide: Hurricane Preparedness 2005; Is Your Organization Ready? to help organizations prepare for the upcoming hurricane season. Sections examine what can be done before, during, and after a hurricane as well as lessons learned from 2004.

National Hurricane Survival Initiativewww.hurricanesafety.org/

The National Hurricane Survival Initiative is a public-private partnership that seeks to educate hurricane-vulnerable individuals through this new web site, a 30-minute television special, and a series of television public service announcements.

Interdepartmental Hurricane Conferencewww.ofcm.gov/nhop/05/nhop05.htm

The Interdepartmental Hurricane Conference meets annually to bring together responsible federal agencies and other stakeholders to review the nation’s hurricane forecast and warning program and to discuss recommendations for improving preparedness for the upcoming hurricane season. The updated plan incorporates new procedures, procedural changes, and agreements reached at the 2005 conference and is available free online from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Office of the Federal Coordinator for Meteorological Services and Supporting Research.

Congressional Hazards Caucuswww.agiweb.org/workgroup/

On July 11, the Congressional Hazards Caucus sponsored two Capitol Hill briefings titled “Hurricanes: Lessons Learned to Reduce Future Risks.”The briefings were organized by the American Geological Institute, the American Geophysical Union, the American Society of Civil Engineers, and the American Red Cross. A summary of the briefings, speaker presentations, and a new fact sheet on hurricanes is available here.

Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Reportwww.cdc.gov/mmwr/preview/mmwrhtml/mm5428a1.htm

The July 22, 2005, issue of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report features this report, “Epidemiologic Assessment of the Impacts of Four Hurricanes–Florida 2004.” It summarizes the results of survey questions designed by the Florida Department of Health to assess the impact of the hurricanes on state residents.