I.I.I. Encourages Americans to Prepare for an Active 2010 Hurricane Season
June 07, 2010
By Anuradha Shukla
TMCnet Contributor
The 2010 Hurricane Season in the Atlantic Ocean "officially" began on June 1, 2010, and will end on November 30, 2010. Atlantic hurricanes affect the eastern and Gulf coasts of the U.S. and the Caribbean nations.
According to the Insurance Information Institute (I.I.I.) Hurricane season has officially begun and coastal residents should make sure that they are properly prepared.
The 2010 hurricane season, which started on June 1 and runs through November 30, is expected to be an " active to extremely active" one, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). NOAA's Climate Prediction Center, a division of the National Weather Service has projected a 70 percent probability of 14 to 23 named storms this year, with eight to 14 of them becoming hurricanes-defined as storms with top winds of 74 miles per hour (mph), or higher. Three to seven of the hurricanes could be major ones, with winds of at least 111 mph, according to NOAA.
In its prediction, NOAA cites as factors a warming of the Atlantic Ocean's water and a weakening of the wind shear, which can tear apart storms, because El Nino has dissipated in the eastern Pacific Ocean. The average number of named storms each year is 11, including six hurricanes, with two of them becoming major storms. No hurricanes made landfall in the U.S. last year. Jeanne Salvatore, senior vice president and consumer spokesperson for the I.I.I. said that coastal residents from Maine to Texas should take steps now to ensure they have the right type and amount of insurance coverage to help them recover from a major storm.
To prepare for a hurricane and other disasters, the I.I.I. suggests following these five tips:
- Buy Insurance: Get enough insurance to rebuild your home and to replace all of your personal belongings.
- Get the Right Type of Policy: Look into getting an extended replacement cost policy or a guaranteed replacement cost policy for the structure of your home.
- Create a Home Inventory: Maintain an up-to-date inventory of all of your personal property.
- Hurricane-Proof Your Home: Install storm shutters to protect your windows or use plywood panels, which can be nailed to window frames when a storm approaches.
- Prepare an Evacuation Plan: Plan ahead and practice so that your evacuation is safe, smooth and fast.
As reported by TMCnet, emergency officials have said that the hurricane season starts on June 1 and ends on Nov. 30. National Hurricane Preparedness Week will be held May 23 through May 29.
Anuradha Shukla is a contributing editor for TMCnet. To read more of Anuradha's article, please visit her columnist page.Edited by Marisa Torrieri
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