With an extremely active hurricane season this year, it’s imperative the Fort Jackson community is prepared for hurricanes and other natural disasters.

The most likely threats to Fort Jackson and the surrounding area are: hurricanes, tornadoes, floods and heat waves. These threats will happen, when and where are unpredictable, so we should plan accordingly, post emergency officials said.

“Planning ahead of disasters is key to being prepared and surviving,” said Ramon “Ray” Domenech, the installation emergency manager.

Before a disaster happens, sit down with your Family and make an emergency plan. The emergency plan should address all potential disasters and each individual’s courses of action for any given emergency. Each household should have a reunification and communication plan that addresses how Family members will communicate and meet when a disaster happens.

“Ensuring that the Family members understand the emergency plan is key to a Family’s survival and wellbeing, during and after a disaster,” Domenech said.

All Family members should know how to use emergency equipment and what actions to take in different scenarios.

Being prepared means having basic items you need to survive for several days. It is recommended that your basic disaster kit consist of food (nonperishable), water (drinking and sanitation), medical supplies, first aid kit, light sources (lamps, flashlights, candles, etc.), extra batteries, NOAA Weather Radio with tone alert, alternative cooking methods (gas stove, grills, etc.), tools, rain gear, masks, disinfectant supplies, pet supplies, cell phones and charger, and identification cards. Periodically, conduct an inventory of basic survival items to ensure they are replenished or have not expired.

“An emergency plan is a foundation you can rehearse from,” said Sgt. 1 st Class Christopher Waterbury, Fort Jackson protection noncommissioned officer in charge. “Even if the rehearsal is a talk through, it is crucial for knowing what to do, when it happens.”

The officials also reiterated that during a natural disaster, individuals should stay calm and shelter-in-place if instructed and listen for emergency information/alerts.

The Installation Operations Center and Installation Emergency Manager receives weather alerts and distributes the warnings to the community via the Mass Warnings and Notifications Systems, the Giant Voice on the installation, email and through the Notification Telephone System. Updates are sent as significant changes occur during severe weather.

For additional information on how to prepare for a hurricane and natural disasters, visit https://ready.army.mil/ra_resources.htm. During a hurricane the Fort Jackson community should also follow the installation social media pages and visit the post website at home.army.mil/jackson for recent updates.