Texas General Land Office launches multi-media, multi-platform disaster preparedness campaign

AUSTIN - Today the Texas General Land Office announced its public outreach initiative to encourage Texans to be prepared and stay prepared for hurricane season, which began Wednesday, June 1 and runs through November 30, 2022. The preparedness campaign includes a video advertisement series titled, “Don’t Ignore Your Risk”, a bilingual multi-media, multi-platform campaign urging Texans to take time now to know their risk, purchase flood insurance, protect their home, safeguard documents, and prepare emergency supplies and an evacuation route.

“It is important to be prepared to have a solid plan in place prior to severe weather,” said Commissioner George P. Bush. “Knowing your risks, having an evacuation plan, gathering supplies, securing documents, and protecting your property with flood, wind, and fire insurance are key steps to being prepared for storms or wildfires. For more disaster preparedness tips, Texans can follow the GLO on social media and find information for family and pets at recovery.texas.gov/preparedness.”

According to a report by the Risk Management and Decision Processes Center at The Wharton School, homeowners received an average of $8,900 in individual housing assistance from Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) following Hurricane Harvey, while the average of flood insurance claims was $115,104. According to FEMA, just one inch of flood water can cause more than $25,000 in damage.

The GLO encourages all Texans to prepare for hurricane season by doing the following:

1. Know Your Risk - Sign up for your community’s emergency warning system. The Emergency Alert System (EAS) and National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) Weather Radio also provide emergency alerts.

2. Make Your Evacuation Plan - Check with local officials about updated evacuation shelters for this year. Know where your family will meet up if you are separated and where you will stay. Pack a “go bag” including items you need to take with you if you evacuate. A “go bag” should be easy to carry and kept in a place where you can grab it quickly. Check with drivetexas.org to find routes near you. To find a shelter near you, download the FEMA app at fema.gov/mobile-app.

3. Gather Supplies - Plan for your entire household including children, people with disabilities or access/functional needs, and pets.

4. Secure Documents - Remember to secure copies of important personal documents. Filing for government assistance requires documentation. Be sure to keep documents in a secure location and take them with you if you need to evacuate. Place these documents in a waterproof bag and back them up on cloud storage or a thumb drive.

5. Protect Your Property - Shutter your home as needed, review your flood insurance policy (or sign up for one), and declutter drains and gutters. Most homeowner and renter insurance policies do not cover flood damage. A flood insurance policy generally does not take effect until 30 days after purchase, so be sure to maintain your policy. Take a video “tour” of your home to document all items and the home’s current condition.

The campaign will run for the next three months and includes social media, digital display, cable, broadcast and streaming platforms. Inspired by Senate Bill 285, signed into law during the 86th Session of the Legislature, the GLO has remained committed to educating Texans about the benefits of protecting their homes and finances through flood insurance and being prepared for storms and other natural disasters.

For more information, visit recovery.texas.gov/preparedness.