Florida might well escape any direct hit from Hurricane Irene, but as it moves toward the East Coast of the United States, the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) is urging all residents in East Coast states to take steps now to prepare their families and businesses for hurricanes and severe weather. Visit www.Ready.gov or www.Listo.gov for helpful tips on preparing for hurricanes, flash flooding and other disasters.
According to the National Weather Service, Hurricane Irene is now a category three hurricane with winds of nearly 185 kilometers an hours, and will move across the southeastern and central Bahamas today and over the northwestern Bahamas on Thursday. Irene could become a Category four hurricane by Thursday, the National Hurricane Center said.
“FEMA, along with the entire federal family, continues to closely monitor Hurricane Irene,” said FEMA Administrator Craig Fugate. “We remain in close contact and coordination with all of our state and territorial partners in the Caribbean and along the East Coast that have already or could possibly experience impacts from this storm. Hurricane Irene’s future path is still uncertain, and I encourage everyone to visit Ready.gov and take steps now to keep their family safe and secure. The most important thing for people to do right now is to listen to and follow the instructions of their local officials. If you are told to evacuate, evacuate.”
For more forecast information from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s (NOAA) National Hurricane Center, click HERE.
