Are you prepared?

We’re quickly approaching the end of September, which also happens to be National Preparedness Month! No matter when you may be reading this, now is the time to ensure you and your loved ones are prepared for disasters and emergencies.

Just this week, Hurricane Helene battered and flooded communities across the Southeast. And in fact, this year, hurricane season started earlier in the year than ever before with Hurricane Beryl, which became the earliest Category 5 Atlantic hurricane on record. As climate change fuels more intense extreme weather events like these, it’s crucial you have a plan in place when — not if — disaster strikes.

This National Preparedness Month, I’d like to share some important information to help prepare you, your loved ones and your homes from hurricanes and other extreme weather:

• Know your flood risk. Are you in a flood zone? Find out at de.gov/floodrisk. If so, you might be asked to evacuate in advance of a severe weather event. Know what the evacuation plan will be by checking the DelDOT State Evacuation Routes.
• Know how you will receive emergency alerts. Delaware’s primary system for public warnings and emergency alerts, known as “DENS,” allows local 911 centers or emergency managers to send messages directly to residents affected by an event — but only if you’re registered. Visit PrepareDE.org for more information.
• Take family members with access and functional needs into account. For people with disabilities and their families, it is important to consider individual circumstances and needs to effectively prepare for emergencies and disasters. Ready.gov/disability has additional resources to help in these planning considerations.
• Build your emergency supply kit over time, starting with items you may already have in your home — like a flashlight, extra batteries, copies of important documents, water, and non-perishable food.

While it is important for you and your family to prepare for disasters, it is also crucial that we invest in sustainable infrastructure and climate change mitigation measures. And fortunately, we are!

Thanks in no small part to transformational laws like the Inflation Reduction Act and the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, we are building infrastructure to better protect communities and withstand extreme weather.

And that’s not all: I’m working hard to deliver major water resources wins for Delaware in this year’s Water Resources Development Act. That includes investments to support cutting-edge research and beach renourishment all across the First State.

Still, we all know much work remains to fight the climate crisis and protect our most vulnerable communities. I plan to use every moment between now and high noon January 3^rd to do just that! In the meantime, I hope you’ll use these final days of National Preparedness Month to ensure you and your loved ones are better prepared for disasters and emergencies.

Sincerely, 

Tom Carper