Here are the odds a storm will hit us

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houmatoday.com and dailycomet.com The 2021 Hurricane Guide is created annually by The Courier and Daily Comet and distributed in the two newspapers. It is the official hurricane guide of Terrebonne and Lafourche parishes. ©2021 GANNETT

What’s inside

Here are the odds a storm will hit us ............................. 4

How to prepare your house .............................................. 5 If officials order you to evacuate, do it ......................... 6 10 things you absolutely, positively need to know .... 8 Storms pose multiple dangers ...................................... 10 Why you need flood insurance, where to get it ........ 11 How to cope with flooding .............................................. 12 Where to find sandbags in Terrebonne and Lafourche .................................................................................. 13

What you need to know if you live in Terrebonne ... 14 Here is the plan if a storm threatens Lafourche ....... 15 How to store plenty of water ......................................... 16 How to assemble a grab-and-go box .......................... 18 Prep your cellphone so you’re ready for anything .. 20 How to make a family disaster plan .............................. 21 How to safeguard your boat .......................................... 22 Know your storm vocabulary ......................................... 23 What to do in a power outage ....................................... 24 This year’s storm names include some changes ...... 25 Know these essential first-aid basics .......................... 26

Find out if you’re really ready for a storm .................. 27 Plan for your pet ................................................................ 28 Tips for strengthening your house ............................. 29 Forecasters say the six-month hurricane season that starts June 1 will be another busy one. GETTY IMAGES

Familiar concerns accompany a new hurricane season

If forecasters are correct, this hurricane season will bear some similarities to the last.

Forecasters say the sixmonth hurricane season that starts June 1 will be another busy one based on historical data and summer weather patterns. Colorado State University researcher Phil Klotzbach predicts 17 named tropical storms will form, eight of which will become hurricanes.

Last year was busy as well, with seven hurricanes affecting Louisiana, including Zeta, a Category 3 storm that made landfall Oct. 28 in Cocodrie.

Also like last year, the ongoing coronavirus pandemic will require everyone to adjust evacuations, shelters and other hurricane preparation, response and recovery efforts to prevent the spread of the highly contagious and deadly virus.

Local and state officials advise anyone who hasn’t done so already to get a COVID19 vaccine now.

And, as always, officials suggest that people should not wait until a storm approaches to prepare. Take care of the basics now, like putting together a plan so you know where you and your family will go if an evacuation is ordered. Stock up on basic food, water and supplies.

Residents also will need to follow news media and connect with parish emergency offices on social media like Facebook and Twitter so they are aware of any new instructions that will be given as a storm approaches.

If an evacuation is ordered, leave without delay.

There are still a lot of unknowns this season. A lot depends, officials say, on how the state progresses with its continuing efforts to get people vaccinated against COVID. Most of last year’s state restrictions on business operations and social gatherings have been loosened or lifted.

But it’s reasonable to expect that storm shelters, if opened locally or statewide, will require masks and social distancing. Whether hotels are up and running at full capacity will play a role in how far some may have to travel to find a place to stay and how long it will take to get there. Hospitals, too, could face challenges, especially in areas where a major hurricane makes landfall.

All of the uncertainty makes it vitally important that everyone prepare now and stay abreast of the latest plans as hurricane season progresses. This guide is a good place to start. And you can trust The Courier and Daily Comet to keep you informed along the way.

Play it safe, everyone. Be prepared. – Executive Editor Keith Magill