disaster preparedness

Just last week, NOAA announced the 2020 Atlantic Hurricane Season predictions. Many of us take this time to ensure we’re prepared for hurricanes and other disasters. Usually, the Office of Response and Restoration shares tips about protecting yourself, your property, and the marine environment before, during, and after a hurricane. But, while many of the OR&R staff are making personal preparedness efforts, they’re also preparing for their furry family members. We at the Disaster Preparedness Program believe it’s important to not only be prepared for ourselves, but for our pets, too!

With the 2020 Atlantic hurricane season less than a month away, the time to start preparing is now. The Atlantic hurricane season starts on June 1 and runs through Nov. 30 each year. As the nation's premier science agency for oceans and coasts, we at NOAA understand that preparedness is not a one-time effort. When a disaster threatens, the National Ocean Service (NOS) must be prepared to provide a broad range of scientific, technical, and policy expertise to support response activities and to inform recovery. 

In 2010, before Deepwater Horizon happened, Kate Wheelock was a regional resource coordinator for OR&R’s Assessment and Restoration Division. Based in Rhode Island, she covered the northeast region. On April 21, 2010, Kate had been on her way to an eco-toxicology training in California, watching events unfold on airport televisions.

This week, during National Preparedness Month, OR&R is taking a closer look at some of the disaster response roles our office and its partners serve in being prepared for both natural and human-caused disasters. In today’s blog, read a first person account of an OR&R scientist’s experience preparing for and living through disasters, and how the “little extras” in preparedness can make a difference. 

This week, during National Preparedness Month, OR&R is taking a closer look at some of the disaster response roles our office and its partners serve in being prepared for both natural and human-caused disasters. In today’s blog, get an inside look at how NOAA’s scientific support coordinators prepare for action.

This week, during National Preparedness Month, OR&R is taking a closer look at some of the disaster response roles our office and its partners serve in being prepared for both natural and human-caused disasters. In today’s blog, learn more about how OR&R’s Marine Debris Program helps to prevent and remove debris after major storms, such as hurricanes, and find out what you can do to help prevent debris before the storm hits.

This week, during National Preparedness Month, OR&R is taking a closer look at some of the disaster response roles our office and its partners serve in being prepared for both natural and human-caused disasters. In today’s blog, learn more about why disaster preparedness is important, what the National Ocean Service does to prepare, and some tips for how you can prepare.