Advisory for Canadians from Connect2Canada

[Kathryn41 3,205]

Attention All Canadians in the Southern United States...

2007 Hurricane Seasons Begins Today -- Be Prepared!

June 1, 2007 --- We are reaching out today to Connect2Canada members with a special message on the 2007 hurricane season, which officially begins today and runs through November 30.

Scientists at the National Oceanic & Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) are predicting 13 to 17 named storms, with seven to 10 becoming hurricanes, of which three to five could become major hurricanes of Category 3 strength or higher. The east and Gulf coasts of the United States are the most threatened areas with extreme weather events becoming more and more frequent.

The key to hurricane or tropical storm protection is preparation. We encourage you and your family to review your personal safety practices. By taking sensible measures before, during and after a hurricane, many lives can be saved and property damage averted.

A hurricane preparedness plan includes three basic elements that are important in the threat of any severe weather event: 1) maintain a disaster or emergency supply kit; 2) secure your home and property; and 3) have a safe place to go in the event of an evacuation or prolonged utility outage.

Keep informed by listening to the latest warnings and advisories on radio, television or web sites. Hurricane Centers will issue and update these when necessary. It is also important to follow the advice of local authorities and emergency response personnel.

In order for the Government of Canada to help you in times of emergency, we need to know where you are and how to communicate with you.

The Department of Foreign Affairs and International Trade Canada operates a Registry of Canadians Abroad (ROCA) service for Canadians travelling or residing abroad. The ROCA registry allows the Department to contact Canadians to offer urgent advice during a natural disaster, civil unrest, or to inform them of a family emergency at home. Registration is voluntary, and personal information provided on the registration form is used in accordance with the provisions of the Privacy Act.

You may register online at: www.voyage.gc.ca.

For more information on being prepared, please go to the websites at:

Public Safety Canada: www.getprepared.ca/risks/hurricanes_e.asp

The U.S. National Hurricane Center: www.nhc.noaa.gov

For emergency assistance, you may place a collect call to the Department in Ottawa at 613-996-8885 or call toll free at 1-800-387-3124.

Please pass this information along to any Canadians you know and encourage them to register with ROCA.

Canadian Consulate General in Atlanta

1175 Peachtree Street, N.E.

100 Colony Square, Suite 1700

Atlanta, GA 30361

Tel: 404-532-2000

Fax: 404-532-2050

website: www.atlanta.gc.ca

(Territory: Georgia, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, Mississippi, Alabama)

Consulate General of Canada in Dallas

750 North St. Paul Street, Suite 1700

Dallas, TX 75201

Tel: 214-922-9806

Fax: 214-922-9815

Website: www.dallas.gc.ca

(Territory: Texas, Arkansas, Kansas, Louisiana, Oklahoma)

Consulate General of Canada in Miami

First Union Financial Center, Suite 1600

200 South Biscayne Blvd.

Miami, FL 33131

Tel: 305-579-1600

Fax: 305-374-6774

Website: www.miami.gc.ca

(Territory: Florida, Puerto Rico, U.S. Virgin Islands)

Edited June 1, 2007 by Kathryn41