by Colleen Tressler
Consumer Education Specialist, FTC
May 31, 2019 2:00 p.m.
June 1 is the official start of hurricane season, and a great time to make a plan to deal with weather emergencies. Extreme weather events, like hurricanes and other natural disasters, can occur with little warning, and the effects come in many forms. Hurricanes may include heavy rainfall, high winds, storm surge, inland flooding, tornadoes, and rip currents. Are you ready to leave your home at a moment’s notice?
The FTC’s site, Dealing with Weather Emergencies, has practical tips to help you prepare for, deal with, and recover from a weather emergency. Like all our materials, the site is mobile-friendly, so you’ll have ready access to information when and where you need it.
The page has four sections:
- Preparing for a Weather Emergency
- Staying Alert to Disaster-related Scams
- Getting Back on Your Feet Financially
- Resources
Active in your community? There’s also a customizable one-page handout, Picking Up the Pieces after a Disaster, with key tips drawn from the FTC’s site. You can add local consumer protection and emergency service contacts, print copies, and distribute them throughout your community.
Like what you see?
- Bookmark this site (ftc.gov/weatheremergencies). If a disaster affects you this year, come back for tips on recovery and information about your rights.
- Subscribe to alerts for consumers and businesses to keep up with the latest scams.
- Like the FTC Facebook page.
- Follow @FTC for the agency’s latest tweets.