Hurricane and Flooding Preparedness Week
WHEREAS, the shores of the Chesapeake Bay and the Atlantic Ocean puts our Commonwealth at risk of the damaging effects of both offshore and inland hurricanes; and
WHEREAS, Hurricanes Camille (1969), Agnes (1972), Juan (1985), Floyd (1999), Isabel (2003), and Gaston (2004) caused some of Virginia’s worst recorded disasters that injured or killed hundreds of people and resulted in millions of dollars in property damage; and
WHEREAS, the devastation that Hurricanes Katrina and Rita in 2005 and Hurricane Ike in 2008 caused in states along the Gulf Coast, demonstrated the dangers hurricanes pose and the importance of being prepared; and
WHEREAS, history has shown that a lack of hurricane awareness and preparation are common among major hurricane disasters; and
WHEREAS, Virginia residents should understand how hurricane hazards such as storm surge, flooding, high winds and tornadoes can affect their homes and communities and should develop an appropriate family emergency plan; and
WHEREAS, families and businesses should take appropriate preparedness actions such as stocking water, non-perishable food, and emergency supplies including a battery-powered or hand crank radio; and
WHEREAS, the Commonwealth observes an annual Hurricane Preparedness Sales Tax Holiday every May 25-31 to enable Virginians to gather emergency supplies; and
WHEREAS, the Virginia Department of Emergency Management, the National Weather Service, local emergency managers, and Virginia’s Citizen Corps will offer hurricane safety information and preparedness techniques to citizens throughout Virginia during National Hurricane and Flooding Preparedness Week;
NOW, THEREFORE, I, Robert F. McDonnell, do hereby recognize May 23-29, 2010 as HURRICANE AND FLOODING PREPAREDNESS WEEK in our COMMONWEALTH OF VIRGINIA, and I call this observance to the attention of all our citizens.