Hurricane Season Safety Reminders (NAPSA)—Following those four crushing Florida hurricanes in 2004, residents of the Sunshine State learned quickly how and when to prepare for an oncoming storm that is turningfierce. George Rogers, regional vice president of GEICO, Florida's third-largest auto insurer, offers some valuable reminders from the company and from FEMA(Federal Emergency Management Agency) to residents as he and colleagues prepare for a season that they hope will not be anything at all like 2004. eeeeeee Hurricane Preparedness * Plan an evacuation route and learn safe routes inland. Be ready to drive 20 to 50 miles inland to locate a safe place. * Keep your car(s) fueled. * Have disaster supplies on hand, including: * flashlight and extra batteries * portable, battery-operated radio and batteries * first aid kit and manual emergency food and water nonelectric can opener essential medicines cash and credit cards sturdy shoes Make arrangementsfor pets. Make sure that all family members are prepared. Teach family members how and whento turn off gas, electricity and water. * Teach children to call 9-1-1, the police or fire department and There are several steps you can take to help prepare for hurricanes. which radio station to tune to for emergency information. * Protect your windows. * Develop an emergency communication plan. * Ask an out-of-state relative or friend to serve as the “family contact.” After a disaster,it’s often easier to call long distance. Make sure everyone in the family knows the name, address and phone numberof the contact person. Another way to plan for any type of emergency is to make sure that all family members know CPR and how to use fire extinguisher. Ensure that pets have proper IDs. To find additional important information on hurricane prepared- ness, you can go to www.fema.gov and www.geico.com.
