Hurricane Season Starts June 1; Red Cross Urges People to Get Ready Now

PROVIDENCE, R.I. (June 1, 2022) The Atlantic Hurricane Season starts June 1 and will be another very active one, according to The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). The American Red Cross urges everyone who lives in hurricane prone areas to make their preparations now and is issuing a call for more people to volunteer to respond to these emergencies.

For the seventh consecutive year, NOAA’s Climate Prediction Center is predicting above-average Atlantic hurricane activity, continuing the trend of more frequent and intense climate-driven disasters. The forecast calls for 14 to 21 named storms, of which 6 to 10 could become hurricanes, including 3 to 6 major hurricanes with winds of 111 mph or higher.

“After back-to-back years of active hurricane seasons that have broken records, this year it’s more important than ever before to get ready now,” said Susan Roberts, Executive Director, American Red Cross Rhode Island Chapter. “We’re encouraging everyone to take the steps today to prepare for any possible dangerous storms this year in Rhode Island.”

HOW TO GET READY Just follow these steps to help make sure your family is ready to either evacuate or hunker down if a storm threatens your community.

• First, create an evacuation plan. Plan what to do in case you are separated from your family during an emergency or if you need to evacuate. Coordinate your plan with your child’s school, your work and your community’s emergency plans. Plan multiple routes to local shelters, register family members with special medical needs as required and make plans for pets. If you already have an emergency plan, update it and review with family members so everyone knows what to do if an emergency occurs.
• Build an emergency kit with a gallon of water per person, per day, non-perishable food, a flashlight, battery-powered radio, first aid kit, medications, supplies for infants or pets, a multi-purpose tool, personal hygiene items, copies of important papers, cell phone chargers, extra cash, blankets, maps of the area and emergency contact information. If you already have a disaster kit, now is the time to make sure the food and water is still okay to consume and that copies of important documents are up to date. 
• Stay informed. Find out how local officials will contact you during a disaster and how you will get important information, such as evacuation orders.
• Download the free Red Cross Emergency app to have severe weather safety information right at your fingertips. The Emergency app provides real-time weather alerts and tips on how to stay safe during severe weather and countless other emergencies. Search “American Red Cross” in app stores or go to redcross.org/apps.

VOLUNTEERS NEEDED The relentless pace of severe disasters has created additional and ongoing emergency needs, especially for families who have been displaced year after year by extreme weather events. As the growing number of climate disasters threatens lives on a near-constant basis, the Red Cross is growing our volunteer capacity to respond to these emergencies.

The need to help during disasters has never been greater — join us to provide relief and hope when it matters most. Visit redcross.org/volunteer to sign up now.