VICKSBURG, Miss. -- Today marks the first official day of the 2023 hurricane season, which runs through Nov. 30. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) predicts a near-normal season with a forecast of 12 to 17 total named storms.
In preparation for the season, team members from Mississippi Valley Division’s Readiness and Contingency Operations office and crisis action team members attended the National Hurricane Conference in New Orleans, April 3-6. The conference serves as a national forum for federal, state, and local officials to exchange ideas and recommend new policies to improve emergency management. It allows opportunities to improve the region’s hurricane preparedness, response, recovery, and mitigation in order to save lives and critical resources in MVD’s area of operations.
During early March, the division’s St Louis District conducted a functional exercise in preparation for its role in coordinating the ESF #3 function in support of Region 6. Mississippi Valley Division headquarters staff participated in the exercise, having key engagements with FEMA Region 6 staff, the State of Louisiana Governor’s Office at Homeland Security, and Emergency Preparedness.
Mississippi Valley Division with lessons learned will continue to work closely throughout the 2023 hurricane season with its staff, and local, state, and federal partners to respond to threats and impacts that may affect our area of responsibility as safely and timely as possible.
Every year, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, part of the federal government’s unified national response to disasters and emergencies, sends hundreds of people to respond to disasters around the world. Here at home, USACE assists the Department of Homeland Security and Federal Emergency Management Agency as the primary agency for public works and engineering-related emergency support. FEMA assigns USACE missions to include: debris management, temporary housing, temporary roofing, emergency power, infrastructure assessment, and support to urban search and rescue.
Before a hurricane is expected in your area, be sure you have an updated family hurricane plan. Have your hurricane survival kit ready and be familiar with evacuation routes and zones. Be prepared, be aware, and take action if the need arises.
For more information on hurricane preparedness measures, visit: FEMA individual preparedness: www.ready.gov/hurricanes, National Hurricane Center: www.nhcnoaa.gov/prepare, American Red Cross: www.redcross.org/prepare/disaster/hurricane
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