March 28, 2024
Annapolis, US 47 F

Annapolis Advises Residents to Prepare for Active Hurricane Season

With the official start of the Atlantic Hurricane Season on June 1, the Annapolis Office of Emergency Management (OEM) reminds the public to make or update their family’s emergency preparedness plan. Knowing your risk, getting prepared, gathering supplies, and staying informed are just a few steps you can take to get ready for the 2022 hurricane season.

“We know that being prepared ahead of severe weather events can not only save property and possessions, but it can also save lives,” said Annapolis Mayor Gavin Buckley. “I thank our OEM personnel for being on top of helping our residents get and stay prepared this hurricane season.”

Hurricane season runs from June 1 through November 30. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) is predicting another active hurricane season. NOAA is predicting that in 2022, the Atlantic could experience three to six major storms (Category 3 or higher).

“It’s important to remember that Annapolis is a coastal community,” said Kevin Simmons, Director of Emergency Management. “An active hurricane season is something that will affect us. In the past, our City has had our fair share of storms come through including Tropical Storm Nicole, Earl, Sandy, Irene, Tropical Storm Ida (which brought last year’s tornado), and Tropical Storm Isaias. As a community, we must continue to remain ever-vigilant.”

Hurricane season and Annapolis have always had a turbulent relationship. Many Annapolitians vividly remember Hurricane Isabel of nearly 20 years ago which brought record flooding to the city. Many more can tell you about their experience with Superstorm Sandy in 2012 and its record winds. But in the past two years, Annapolis has been hit especially hard by storms: Isaias (2020) and Ida (2021).

Each brought millions of dollars in damages to all parts of the city. Winds caused by Ida caused a tornado that tore through West Street damaging homes and businesses alike, some of which are still in recovery. If this hurricane season is anything like the previous two seasons, residents need to start prepping now.

The City of Annapolis is taking a number of steps to support residents and property owners, including the initiative to join the Community Rating System, which may provide discounts to property owners on flood insurance premiums. At the same time, it is critical for every Annapolis resident to be prepared in the event of an emergency or evacuation. Only use official sources when gathering information for an upcoming storm. Most importantly, get prepared, stay informed, and know your risk before the storm arrives.

Get Prepared: Take action now to be prepared for hurricane season. Waiting until a storm is approaching can often be too late to start getting ready. Make sure you have family evacuation and communications plans, update your emergency supply kit and evaluate your flood insurance needs.

  • Complete a family communication plan. Plan how you will assemble your family and loved ones and anticipate where you will go in different situations. Get together with your family and agree on the ways to contact one another in an emergency and identify meeting locations.
  • Create or restock your emergency kit. Being prepared means having your own food, water, and other supplies to last for at least 72 hours. A disaster supply kit is a collection of basic items your household may need in the event of an emergency, including food, water, and an all-weather radio.
  • Check your insurance coverage. Most homeowners’ insurance policies do not cover damage or losses from flooding. Review your policy, ensure you’re adequately covered and understand exclusions, and contact your agent for any changes.

Stay Informed: Know where to go for trusted sources of information during a hurricane event. Monitor local news resources for hurricane watches and warnings in Annapolis and follow the directions of local officials.

  • Download the Prepare Me Annapolis app. Prepare Me Annapolis promptly notifies citizens of weather alerts, traffic updates, government closings, and other essential information. The app also provides a customizable checklist of emergency supplies, maps of open shelters and recovery centers, tips on how to survive disasters, and weather alerts from the National Weather Service.
  • The City of Annapolis shares information through a community notification center called Alert Annapolis. It is completely free and allows us to reach thousands of residents and businesses at once. You can sign up to receive emails, phone calls, or text messages. Residents are also able to sign up to receive alerts in their preferred language. Please visit alertannapolis.civicready.com to register.
    • Follow the Office of Emergency Management on Social Media.
    • Facebook: The Annapolis Office of Emergency Management
    • Twitter: @AnnapolisOEM
    • NextDoor: The Annapolis Office of Emergency Management

Special Assistance Roster: Residents with functional needs and those who might need assistance during a disaster should contact OEM to be registered on our special assistance roster. This will allow OEM the ability to check on your welfare before, during, and after an emergency event. To register or to get additional information regarding emergency preparedness or assistance with information and notification services, call OEM at 410-216-9167 or visit www.annapolis.gov/1371/Special-Assistance-Roster . When signing up, please tell our office of any functional needs (hearing impaired, mobility impaired, etc.) you may require assistance with.

Additional information can be found on the Annapolis Office of Emergency Management website at www.annapolis.gov/oem and the Maryland Department of Emergency Management (MDEM) website at mdem.maryland.gov.

Previous Article

Board of Education Approves Another Charter School

Next Article

Comacell “Cell Spitfire” Brown and Cindy Fletcher-Holden Selected for Arundel Center Mural

You might be interested in …