September is National Preparedness Month, and the Federal Emergency Management Agency is urging Alabamians to be prepared for disasters.
FEMA is partnering with the Ad Council to encourage people to take time to develop a plan in the event of a disaster. The agency says families should think about things like supplies to have on hand, locations of local shelters and where to go in the event of an emergency.
Rafael Lemaitre is the director of public affairs for FEMA. He says flooding is the most common and costly disaster the agency encounters, which means having flood insurance is crucial.
“This is not something that is covered under standard homeowner insurance policies, but it’s important that folks just take time to protect themselves, because if something were to happen, FEMA assistance isn’t designed to make you whole. Insurance, however, can replace what you lose.”
Lemaitre also encourages people to download FEMA’s app, with readiness checklists and built-in alerts from the National Weather Service. The app is free on Apple’s App Store and Google Play.