HOUSTON — State Senator Joan Huffman (R-Southside Place) reminds coastal residents to prepare for the upcoming 2010 Hurricane Season, which officially starts June 1. The Texas Department of Public Safety held its 2010 Texas Hurricane Conference last week in advance of NOAA's National Hurricane Preparedness Week, ensuring Texas' emergency response personnel and agencies stand ready. This week's activities are sponsored by the National Hurricane Center and NOAA and focus on topics ranging from hurricane storm hazards to preparing a family safety and evacuation plan.

"Protecting your family, business, and property means having a plan before a storm," Huffman said. "Past lessons have taught us a lack of awareness and preparation continue to hamper response efforts during major hurricane disasters. By assessing your needs and developing a plan, you can reduce the effects of a hurricane disaster on your family and property," commented Sen. Huffman.

The Texas Department of Public Safety has released the State Hurricane Plan and officials continue to improve protocols for evacuating and sheltering Texans with special needs, providing mass care and shelter hubs, evacuation tracking, disaster communications, hospital evacuations, donations management, animals in disasters, and re-entry operations. Information concerning the State Hurricane Plan can be found at the Texas Department of Public Safety's Division of Emergency Management website at: www.txdps.state.tx.us/dem.

"I encourage all Senate District 17 residents to prepare a plan in advance of any potential storms," Huffman said. "Knowing what actions to take when facing impacts from a storm can be life-saving," stressed Sen. Huffman.

Additional information on National Hurricane Preparedness Week can be found at: www.hurricanes.gov/prepare or www.hcoem.org. Citizens with special needs can register as needing special evacuation assistance by dialing 211 from a landline phone.

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