The Atlantic hurricane season is officially under way as of today, and coastal residents are waiting to see if it's as busy as expected. 

Federal government scientists predict that there will be 14 to 23 tropical storms in the Atlantic basin, including 8 to 14 hurricanes.

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration predicts that 3 to 7 of the hurricanes will be major storms that reach Category 3 or higher - meaning they bring sustained winds of at least 111 mph.

So the question lingers, should residents of Savannah, Ga., and northward through South Carolina be concerned about being devastated with the hurricanes that are forecast for this year's hurricane season?

Residents any place along the USA's East and Gulf Coasts should be concerned every June 1- Nov. 30 hurricane season. While a season with many hurricanes slightly increases the odds of a particular place being hit, a storm can hit you any year.

And, even though the odds of being hit by a hurricane are lower in the Georgia/South Carolina area than in Southern Florida or the Outer Banks of North Carolina, history shows that hurricanes do hit the Georgia-South Carolina border area. 

If the forecast had been for fewer than average hurricanes this year, it would not have meant people along the coast could relax.

Remember  Hurricane Andrew, which did more than three times as much damage as any other U.S. hurricane, hit in 1992, a year with a total of only three hurricanes? (The other two never threatened any land.) This was one of the least-active years on record. 

While hurricanes are very rare in some places, there is no reason why a hurricane couldn't hit any part of the U.S. Atlantic or Gulf coasts.

As for the history of hurricanes on the Georgia-South Carolina border, the night of Aug., 27, 1893, the eye of a hurricane, which was probably a Category 3 by today's standards, crossed right over Savannah with its surge pushing the Savannah River 12 to 14 feet above the normal tide.

Even worse, the strongest part of the storm, to the north of the eye, pushed storm surge across the Sea Islands of Beaufort County, S.C. No one really knows, but the best estimate is that 2,000 to 2,500 people who lived on these islands died. Another 20,000 to 30,000 were left destitute.

Emergency managers and many others in the Savannah area and in Beaufort County are very familiar with this storm. But, I wonder how many of the newcomers to this area were told about the 1893 storm before they moved in.

The main lesson here, and elsewhere along the coast, is that if the weather did something in the past, it could do the same thing again.

The most important thing that you can do is to be informed, and prepared. Disaster prevention includes both being prepared as well as reducing damages.

Disaster Prevention should include:

• Developing a Family Plan
• Creating a Disaster Supply Kit
• Having a Place to Go
• Securing your Home
• Having a Pet Plan

DEVELOP A FAMILY PLAN - Your family's plan should be based on your vulnerability to the Hurricane Hazards. You should keep a written plan and share your plan with other friends or family.

CREATE A DISASTER SUPPLY KIT - There are certain items you need to have regardless of where you ride out a hurricane. The disaster supply kit is a useful tool when you evacuate as well as making you as safe as possible in your home.

Develop a family hurricane preparedness plan before an actual storm threatens your area.
If your family hurricane preparedness plan includes evacuation to a safer
location then it is important to consider the following points:

If ordered to evacuate, do not wait or delay your departure.
If possible, leave before local officials issue an evacuation order for your area. Even a slight delay in starting your evacuation will result in significantly longer travel times as traffic congestion worsens.

Select an evacuation destination that is nearest to your home, preferably in the same county, or at least minimize the distance over which you must travel in order to reach your intended shelter location.
In choosing your destination, keep in mind that the hotels and other sheltering options in most inland metropolitan areas are likely to be filled very quickly in a large, multi-county hurricane evacuation event.

If you decide to evacuate to another county or region, be prepared to wait in traffic.

The large number of people in this state who must evacuate during a hurricane will probably cause massive delays and major congestion along most designated evacuation routes; the larger the storm, the greater the probability of traffic jams and extended travel times.

If possible, make arrangements to stay with the friend or relative who resides closest to your home and who will not have to evacuate. Discuss with your intended host the details of your family evacuation plan well before the beginning of the hurricane season.

If a hotel or motel is your final intended destination during an evacuation, make
reservations before you leave.
Most hotel and motels will fill quickly once evacuations begin. The longer you wait to make reservations, even if an official evacuation order has not been issued for your area or county, the less likely you are to find hotel/motel room vacancies, especially along interstate highways and in major metropolitan areas.

If you are unable to stay with friends or family and no hotels/motels rooms are
available, then as a last resort go to a shelter.  
Remember, shelters are not designed for comfort and do not usually accept pets.  Bring your disaster supply kit with you to the shelter. Find Pet-Friendly hotels and motels.

Make sure that you fill up your car with gas, before you leave.

SECURE YOUR HOME - There are things that you can do to make your home more secure and able to withstand stronger storms.

The most important precaution you can take to reduce damage to your home and property is to protect the areas where wind can enter. According to recent wind technology research, it's important to strengthen the exterior of your house so wind and debris do not tear large openings in it. You can do this by protecting and reinforcing these five critical areas:

ROOF
STRAPS
SHUTTERS
DOORS
GARAGE DOORS

HAVE A PET PLAN!

Contact your veterinarian 0r local humane society for information on preparing your pets for an emergency.

BEFORE THE DISASTER

• Make sure that your pets are current on their vaccinations.  Pet shelters
  may require proof of vaccines.

• Have a current photograph

• Keep a collar with identification on your pet and have a leash on hand to control your pet.

• Have a properly-sized pet carrier for each animal - carriers should be large enough for the animal to stand  and turn around.

• Plan your evacuation strategy and don't forget your pet!  Specialized pet
  shelters, animal control shelters, veterinary clinics and friends and relatives out of harm's way are ALL potential refuges for your pet during a disaster.

If you plan to shelter your pet - work it into your evacuation route planning.

DURING THE DISASTER

• Animals brought to a pet shelter are required to have:  Proper identification collar and rabies tag, proper identification on all belongings, a carrier
  or cage, a leash, an ample supply of food, water and food bowls, any necessary medications, specific care instructions and news papers or trash bags for clean-up.

• Bring pets indoors well in advance of a storm - reassure them and remain calm.

• Pet shelters will be filled on first come, first served basis.  Call ahead and determine availability.

AFTER THE DISASTER

• Walk pets on a leash until they become re-oriented to their home - often familiar scents and landmarks may be altered and pets could easily be confused and become lost.  Also, downed power lines, reptiles brought in with high water and debris can all pose a threat for animals after a disaster.

• If pets cannot be found after a disaster, contact the local animal control office to find out where lost animals can be recovered.  Bring along a picture of your pet if possible.

• After a disaster animals can become aggressive or defensive - monitor their behavior.

Don't forget your pet when preparing a family disaster plan.

PET DISASTER SUPPLY KIT

•
Proper identification including immunization records
•
Ample supply of food and water
•
A carrier or cage
•
Medications
• Muzzle, collar and leash

ADDITIONAL LINKS

•
The HUMANE SOCIETY Disaster
Center
•
FEMA- Animals and Emergencies
•
Locate PET-FRIENDLY Hotels & Motels

TAKE ACTION!

If you are HURRICANE AWARE you will be able to answer these three questions:

1. What are the Hurricane Hazards?
Storm Surge, Marine Hazards, Tornadoes, High Winds, and Inland Flooding

2. What does it mean to you?
Do you live in a Surge Zone? On a Barrier Island? In an area prone to flooding? In a strong sturdy home?

3. What actions should you take to be prepared?
Family Disaster Plan, Disaster
Supply Kit, Secure your home, Have a place to go, and Stay Aware

Be sure to ask other family members, friends and neighbors if they are HURRICANE AWARE too.

*The source for some of the material in this report is the Cooperative Program for Operational Meteorology, Education, and Training (COMET®) Web site at http://meted.ucar.edu/ of the University Corporation for Atmospheric Research (UCAR). The original material was funded by the National Weather Service (NWS) and the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA).