Turn to METRO Responds for Helpful Resource
Wednesday, February 04, 2009 3:24 PM
On a beautiful, sunny day like today, a hurricane is most likely the farthest thing from most people's minds.
But, like the dreaded tax due date, hurricane season is around the corner.The season starts 16 weeks and three days from today - June 1 and runs throughNov. 30.
If you didn't click on METRO Responds during Hurricane Ike last year, now is a good time to get acquainted with a Web site that is chockfull of useful phone numbers and solid advice on everything from assembling emergency kits to deciding whether to go or stay during a hurricane.
Click here to explore METRO Responds. You can also find the red and yellow icon at the bottom of our home Web page.
"We hit a record high of 546, 569 hits in September during Ike," said Jesse Quintanilla, METRO's Web designer, who worked with our IT and PIER (Public Information Emergency Response) Systems to design this. "The goal was initially how to get information to METRO employees. Then it became how do you get information to METRO employees and the public all at once?"
Here are examples of helpful hints. Under "Preparation/Planning," you'll find recommended items for an emergency kit, including a can opener for food and a whistle to signal for help. Under "Additional items to consider adding," you'll find the following listed: petfood and water, a sleeping bag or blanket, complete change of clothing and household chlorine bleach and medicine dropper. You can treat water with 16 drops of bleach to one gallon of water.
Under "Emergency Numbers," you'll discover agencies you may not know exist but which can help during an emergency, such as the Harris County Housing Resource Center or the City of Houston's Office of EmergencyManagement.
"Special Needs" walks you through the steps to pre-register on-line for emergency evacuations. And "Helpful Links" gives you a one-stop page for a variety of government agencies or non-profits that help in emergencies, such as the American Red Cross or FEMA.
METRO Responds is a valuable resource that we keep current. Just recently, we added a new link, "Ready America," that guides you to helpful, downloadable files, such as a family emergency plan. Files are in English and Spanish.
And if you ever have technical difficulties logging onto our Web site during an emergency, you can log on directly to www.metroresponds.org.