Mississippi Emergency Chiefs Fear Coast is Too Complacent

After two quieter hurricane seasons, emergency management in South Mississippi are concerned about the complacency they’re seeing among residents concerning hurricanes.

In an article in South Mississippi’s Sun Herald, Melissa M. Scallan says the officials are worried that residents aren’t preparing themselves properly for storms, even though the area was devastated in 2005 after Hurricane Katrina.

Rupert Lacy, director of the Harrison County Emergency Management Agency, told Scallan he has talked to residents and most of them don’t have an evacuation plan or a hurricane kit.

Mike Womack, director of the Mississippi Emergency Management Agency, agreed with Lacy, telling Scallan he has encountered the same lack of urgency among residents. “I don’t have a new message, but it’s my job and Rupert’s job to get people to try and listen to us.”

“The emergency managers said residents need to decide now if they will evacuate should a storm target the Coast. If they evacuate, they need to choose a destination and a route,” Scallan adds.

To read the full article, click here: http://www.sunherald.com/278/story/593494.html