Hurricane season is here, are you prepared?

Control District Community Emergency Response Team is providing a series on disaster preparedness for islanders

By NARCISSUS E. MAGTURO and KAREN TITOLO, CERT members

Welcome to your CERT team’s series of disaster preparedness articles

Sheltering in Place!

■ The time to develop and practice your family emergency plan is prior to hurricane season

■ Prepare several evacuation or sheltering options for your family

■ Deciding whether to evacuate or shelter in place depends upon the incident or event; each event requires its own decision

■ If you do NOT live in an area that is required to evacuate, sheltering at home with precautions is a safe choice.

■ Preparing properly, and offering to shelter friends or family who are required to leave a more dangerous area, will help the entire community get through the storm together

■ Shelter at home if it is safe from winds and storm surge waters, and you are not under an evacuation order

■ Expect the power to be out, and the likelihood that you may be under a boil water notice, if not without water entirely

■ Fill bathtubs/sinks/other containers (even large pots) with water

■ Secure items in and around your home before tropi-