M.D.O.T. Supports National Preparedness Month

Extreme weather in Mississippi is a fairly common occurrence. Whether it is tornadoes, hurricanes or winter weather, most Mississippians are impacted every year by some sort of weather event. The National Highway Institute (N.H.I.) has named September as National Preparedness Month. In support of this, the Mississippi Department of Transportation (M.D.O.T.) would like to remind Mississippians of the importance of safety and preparedness on our roadways during hazardous weather.

In 2013, Mississippi was struck by 30 confirmed tornadoes. In February 2014, the southern portion of our state was hit with several major winter storms. While we cannot predict the severity of weather events, we can make preparations to be ready for whatever Mother Nature decides to throw at us.

To show its support of National Preparedness Month, M.D.O.T. would like to offer some general tips to help you prepare for any hazardous weather event:

•Create and discuss your family’s emergency plan for severe weather.
•Prepare an emergency kit for your home and vehicle.
•Before winter sets in have a mechanic perform a thorough check of your vehicle.
•During severe weather stay off of the roads except in case of emergency.
•If driving is necessary, avoid flooded roadways, have a disaster kit in the vehicle and use extra precaution. Also, stay on main roads, in case something should happen.

Severe weather is something that we cannot control, but we can take action before it strikes to ensure we are as safe as possible. For more safety tips, visit GoMDOT.com or follow us on Twitter, @MississippiDOT. For hurricane specific information, including evacuation routes, visit www.gomdot.com/hurricanes.