You may first think of Florida when you hear about hurricane season, but New York City is at risk of a storm-related event nearly every year that requires a high level of hurricane awareness. Preparing “just in case” is a necessity. Atlantic hurricane season begins each year on June 1, and New York City is most at risk between August 1 and November 30. Although not all events bring the great damage of Hurricane Sandy, flooding and high winds are a common result of storms.

Emergency Preparation

Each year, the New York City Office of Emergency Management (NYC OEM) updates preparedness materials to help New Yorkers be ready for the potential effects of coastal storms. Two of the most helpful resources that have been developed to aid in hurricane season preparedness include the Ready NY: My Emergency Plan Workbook and the Know Your Zone website.

Ready New York: My Emergency Plan Workbook – walks New Yorkers through the steps of creating their own emergency preparation plans, and focuses attention on the following steps:

• Establishing a support network
• Capturing important health information
• Planning for evacuation
• Gathering emergency supplies.

This workbook was created with an added goal of helping residents with special needs considerations become prepared, and is available in 13 languages on the OEM website here: http://www.nyc.gov/html/oem/html/ready/myemergencyplan_guide.shtml

SelectCare Takes Hurricane Awareness Seriously

Every city resident should use this workbook to develop a plan, but it is especially important for seniors and those with disabilities to do so. If you are a current SelectCare client, your healthcare aid can help you prepare the documentation and supplies you need to have for an emergency plan.

One of the best things about working with SelectCare of New York City is the knowledge that in case of emergency, we are always there for you. The agency is aware of your flood zone, transportation assistance level (TAL) and service priority level. If the storm hits, we will reach out to you to make sure that you are okay and offer needed assistance.

For information or to schedule home healthcare services for yourself or a loved one, just call us at 212-505-3640. We are always glad to offer an in-home needs assessment and review your care options.