On First Day of Hurricane Season, Obama Warns of 'Complacency'

WASHINGTON, D.C. — June 1 marks the beginning of the 2016 hurricane season, but we already have two named storms under our belt for the year: Hurricane Alex in January and Tropical Storm Bonnie, which soaked barbecues last weekend across the Carolinas.

On Tuesday, speaking at the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), President Obama urged Americans to prepare for the hurricane season ahead.

“What we've been seeing is some public complacency slipping in; a large portion of people not having preparedness kits, not having evacuation plans,” he said. “All that has to pick up, because we want to make sure that, although it's hard to prevent property damage, that we are doing everything we can to prevent loss of life.”

He also emphasized the urgency of complying with evacuation orders, an area where Obama says, “we’ve been stagnant.”

The forecast for this year is for a “near-average” hurricane season, but the National Oceanic Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) made it clear that there’s still a lot of uncertainty. Many other climate conditions, including La Niña, affect the severity of storms and whether they make landfall. And you can have a year like 1992, with fewer storms than normal, but then Hurricane Andrew comes along, causing $26 billion worth of damage and killing 65 people.

Still, “near-average” would mean 10 to 16 named storms in the Atlantic this year, four to eight of which would become hurricanes.

Here’s what you can do to be ready:

Know your risk. You probably already know if you live in a hurricane zone, but check the map above just in case. You'll automatically get a warning on your phone if there is imminent danger -- no need to sign up for alerts. You can follow information about hurricane season at NOAA's National Hurricane Center. Make sure everyone in your family – even the kids – knows how to stay safe in case of a significant storm.

Put together an emergency kit. We’re not just talking about a flashlight and spare batteries. You can get started with something like a standard Red Cross kit, but this terrifyingly complete list from the Coast Guard has you covered (and will take you till the end of the summer to assemble). They recommend enough supplies to last 72 hours. That includes water for drinking and sanitation, non-perishable food, hygiene supplies, anything you need for your baby, prescription and non-prescription medicines, a first-aid kit, clothing and bedding, maps, tarps, duct tape, and so much more. If a storm is coming, fill your car with gas, fill the bathtub with water, fill your prescriptions, and fill your wallet with cash.

Make an evacuation plan. You’ll likely have a few days’ lead time before a major hurricane strikes, but you don’t want to wait until the last minute and find yourself stuck in an epic traffic jam when the storm hits. Make sure you know where you can stay that’s out of danger and that can accommodate all members of your family, including pets. In case of an emergency, communicate with other members of your family via text, if possible, to free up phone lines for emergency responders. Ready.gov has some more tips, but don't overthink it.