Nassau’s not ready for another Sandy

Even after Hurricane Sandy’s hard-learned lessons, too few residents are taking the steps they should to be ready for the next major storm.

“Fifty-six percent of surveyed residents were very or somewhat concerned about the upcoming hurricane season,” said John Miller, CEO of the American Red Cross on Long Island, “but only 49 percent said Sandy made them better prepared.”

“There is little evidence of increased preparedness along the entire Atlantic/Gulf Coast,” according to a Red Cross-Weather Channel survey.

Miller offered these tips for Long Islanders:

n Create an emergency “to-go” kit.

n Make an evacuation plan with your family.

n Stay informed of the local news.

Miller was joined at a Red Cross news conference by the county executives of Nassau and Suffolk, Ed Mangano and Steve Bellone. “We are at greater risk” due to climate change, Bellone warned. “Our likelihood of getting hit again is greater.” He said that Sandy taught residents lessons about gas shortage preparation and the importance of an emergency hotline, generators, supplies and roadway news updates.

Mangano emphasized keeping up with local news, and mentioned Nassau Now, a free mobile app that enables members of the public to let officials know about emergencies, and vice versa. He urged residents to download it, since “our county and region are still recovering. This is going to be a very, very important time to make sure you stay tuned to the local media.”

Nassau Now provides news, press releases, emergency notifications and other alerts. When users register and log in, they can submit service requests with topics, descriptions and photos. Then the app determines users’ locations and addresses their issues. Other apps, called Hurricane and First Aid, are available from the Red Cross. Search the iTunes app store or visit redcross.org/mobileapps for more details.

The Red Cross suggests taking additional actions:

n Make sure your disaster supply kit has supplies like water, food, medicine and a battery-powered radio in your home, in your car or at work.

n Make a specific plan with your family about how to communicate in an emergency if separated (including a meeting place); practice what to do in an emergency at home.

n Take first aid or CPR training if you have not done so in the past 5 years.

n Volunteer to help prepare for or respond to a major emergency.

A version of this article, written by Grace Poppe, first appeared in the Nassau Herald.