State Holds Hurricane Preparedness Drill

Gov. Dannel P. Malloy conducted a hurricane preparedness drill at the state Emergency Operations Center recently with key state agency commissioners and state agency personnel to test Connecticut’s readiness and response in the event of a major hurricane this season, according to a press release from the governor's office.

“Current reports show that this year’s hurricane season is expected to be more active than normal, and it’s my job to make sure the state is prepared for the worst, even though I hope it never comes to that,” Malloy said in the release.

“While this year’s winter weather hit our state particularly hard, we were prepared and we knew what needed to be done for the safety and security of our state’s residents. That’s exactly why we held this exercise – well in advance of any potential hurricane – with agency commissioners and staff.”

The drill focused on state agency preparedness and critical decision making as a mock hurricane was bearing down on Connecticut.

“Under Gov. Malloy’s leadership, Connecticut was able to respond to and recover from record breaking snow this past winter. By holding a drill like this before any potential storm, we’ll be able to better coordinate our activity and troubleshoot any problems ahead of time," said Emergency Management and Homeland Security Commissioner Peter Boynton in the release.

Staff and commissioners from the Departments of Emergency Management and Homeland Security, Public Safety, Public Health, Environmental Protection, Transportation, Military, Social Services, Insurance, Agriculture, Correction, Administrative Services, and the Commission on Fire Prevention and Control participated in the exercise.

The Atlantic hurricane season runs from June 1 to November 30; the principal threat period for Connecticut is from mid-August to mid-October. The National Hurricane Center predicts a 65 percent chance that the 2011 Atlantic hurricane season will be worse than normal, a 25 percent chance of a normal season, and a 10 percent chance of a below-normal season. The National Hurricane Center also predicts a 70 percent probability that there will be 12-18 named storms, six to 10 hurricanes, and three to six major hurricanes in the Atlantic region this year.

For information on how to be prepared for a hurricane, check out the American Red Cross website here.