Emergency management officials say that awareness and preparedness are vital going into the Atlantic Hurricane Season, which officially starts June 1 and runs through Nov. 30. To ensure that residents are getting prepared for hurricane season and upcoming tropical weather, Gov. Phil Bryant has declared this week as Hurricane Preparedness Week in Mississippi.

This hurricane season marks the 10th anniversary of Hurricane Katrina, the scars of which can still be seen and felt across Mississippi.

“Ten years after Hurricane Katrina, we have vivid memories of the storm and its aftermath. As our state has seen too many times, hurricanes can cause unparalleled destruction,” Bryant said earlier this week. “As a result, we are more prepared than ever for the threat of tropical weather.”

Lincoln County Civil Defense Director Clifford Galey said people need to know that hurricane season is starting and have a plan in place in case the local area is affected. Galey said a preparedness kit and a family communication plan are essential.

“[People should have] enough water and canned goods to last at least seven days,” Galey said. “Designate someone that everyone in your family knows to call in case you get separated. The whole family can call one person, and everyone will know that you’re OK.”

While Mississippi has the fifth largest area classified as floodplain, and there have already been several flash flood warnings and watches issued recently, Galey said that strong winds and projectiles often cause the most damage locally. He said securing, moving and picking up anything that could become a projectile is one of the first things people should do when a storm approaches.

Galey directs people to www.mema.org to find out how to create a preparedness kit and plan, but said people should have supplies for at least seven days, cash if banks are not operational and gas for vehicles or generators.

Generators are the source of one potentially deadly danger posed to first responders or emergency management crews, Galey said, if people using them are not aware of the proper way to set them up.

“People wait till the last minute and [the generators] haven’t been started in a year or even a couple years and then they try to hook them up themselves and don’t hook them up safely,” he said. “When they aren’t, the power can go back in to the grid, essentially back into the power lines and energize the system that is supposed to be dead already.

So when one of the first responders, authorities or the power companies of course go to move the line they can be electrocuted.”

Galey said if Lincoln County is threatened by a storm, the FEMA saferoom on Beltline Road will be opened, but it is more likely that more southern regions could be evacuated here. If the storm is bad enough, he said, four lanes of traffic could be coming north, increasing the local population from 36,000 to 60,000. In these instances, he said Lincoln County is usually quite patient, and he urges the public to continue this with traffic in mind.

During a storm or severe weather, Galey said he strongly encourages the use of a weather radio to get updates, as well as paying attention to local news outlets.

“Once it passes, everybody stay out of the power lines, stay safe and be patient. Normally [afterwards] neighbors are helping neighbors. Lincoln County ends up being great about that,” Galey said. “I’ve been doing this in some capacity for over 30 years, and they’ve always come out to help. And when people are helping people, we have no complaints.”

Galey said the MEMA website is a great place to find out what to include in plans and supply kits, but that those on well water in the county especially should extend the online suggestion of three to four days worth of food and water to seven.

Bryant and MEMA also unveiled a mobile application aimed at helping residents prepare for emergencies that is available free on iOS and Android devices. The phone app has several features such as preparedness tools, emergency information, weather radar and other options including statewide highway information.