1. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA)
http://www.noaa.gov
The NOAA is a Federal Agency within the United States Department of
Commerce. Their mission is “To understand and predict changes in the
Earth’s environment and conserve and manage coastal and marine resources
to meet our nation’s economic, social and environmental needs”. This is
a great website to visit throughout the year to obtain information
pertaining to our national and global weather systems. It is
scientifically informative and contains current data with a focus on our
oceans and the atmosphere. Some of the information you can find on their
STORM WATCH website http://www.noaawatch.gov includes satellite imagery, Doppler
radar, current watches and warnings, weather maps, short, medium, and
long range forecasting, a climate prediction center, and probability
forecasts. You can obtain your local weather report and forecast by
going to another of NOAA’s websites
http://www.weather.gov/
2. Federal Emergency Management Association (FEMA)
http://www.fema.gov
Fema is a Federal Agency within the U.S. Department of Homeland
Security. After a natural disaster, the President will often sign a
major disaster declaration, which will then allow FEMA to offer a number
of different services and special programs to residents in the
designated disaster area. 3.
American Red Cross
http://www.redcross.org/.
Although not a governmental agency, the Red Cross “responds immediately
to more than 70,000 disasters, including house or apartment fires (the
majority of disaster responses), hurricanes, floods, earthquakes,
tornadoes, hazardous materials spills, transportation accidents,
explosions, and other natural and man-made disasters.”
“Red Cross disaster relief focuses on meeting people's immediate
emergency disaster-caused needs. When a disaster threatens or strikes,
the Red Cross provides shelter, food, and health and mental health
services to address basic human needs. In addition to these services,
the core of Red Cross disaster relief is the assistance given to
individuals and families affected by disaster to enable them to resume
their normal daily activities independently.”
“The Red Cross also feeds emergency workers, handles inquiries from
concerned family members outside the disaster area, provides blood and
blood products to disaster victims, and helps those affected by disaster
to access other available resources.”
4. The Humane Society of The United States
Humane Society
The Humane Society’s mission is to “promote the protection of all
animals”. They provide useful information for
caring for your pets, horses, or livestock during an emergency. Their
Disaster Preparedness Brochures can be downloaded or printed. |