[Congressional Record Volume 158, Number 81 (Friday, June 1, 2012)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E956-E957]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                            HURRICANE SEASON

                                 ______
                                 

                     HON. DEBBIE WASSERMAN SCHULTZ

                               of florida

                    in the house of representatives

                          Friday, June 1, 2012

  Ms. WASSERMAN SCHULTZ. Mr. Speaker, as you know, June 1, marks the 
official start to the Atlantic hurricane season. Mother Nature decided 
to start a little earlier, unfortunately, and over the recent Memorial 
Day weekend my home state of Florida had an early scare with Tropical 
Storm Beryl. Thankfully, it turned out not to be as bad a storm as we 
initially feared.
  It was a reminder that we all have to work together to make sure our 
families, neighbors and friends stock up on essential supplies and 
develop a plan of action in the event another storm appears headed our 
way.

[[Page E957]]

  You cannot wait until a storm is coming. Taking early precautions, as 
well as having a recovery plan, is very important to minimize damage to 
your own property.
  If enough people take precautions, government agencies are free to 
help those who need it most: the elderly, children, the handicapped, 
and people in shelters.
  So make sure you have a three day supply of non-perishable food and 
water;
  Make sure that you have a change of batteries for your flashlights, 
radios, and other devices;
  Fill up your car's gas tank; and keep all your important papers in a 
safe, dry place.
  Please don't wait until the last minute to prepare. It's up to all of 
us to make sure we're safe.
  I also want to thank President Obama and his entire administration 
for working with state and local authorities throughout the year to 
prepare for hurricane season and all types of disasters. I'd also like 
to thank the President and his Administration for including the State 
of Florida Emergency Manager Bryan Koon, Florida Adjutant General Major 
General Emmett Titshaw, and Florida Power & Light President Eric Silagy 
in his hurricane preparedness briefing at the White House yesterday.
  Lastly, I'd like to salute the important role that our first 
responders and local television and radio broadcasters play in 
coordinating and providing critical information during hurricanes and 
times of disaster.
  It takes a tremendous amount of planning and coordination, and we are 
grateful for the collaboration that the public and private sectors play 
in times of emergency.
  Hopefully we'll have an uneventful hurricane season this year. But we 
must always be prepared so that we can weather the storm and come out 
safe and sound on the other end.

                          ____________________