NORFOLK, Va. — It's Hurricane Preparedness Week, and experts are encouraging residents across Hampton Roads to make sure they're ready before hurricane season officially starts.
"I lived in Virginia Beach during Hurricane Matthew, and we were stuck inside for a week. So I was glad that I had what I had because I could not leave my house for a couple of days," said resident Pete Bessant.
It was after that moment Bessant knew he needed to always be prepared for a storm in our area.
"You just never know what's it's going to be until you're in it," he shared. He says he has plenty of food and water, portable chargers, and other items prepared in case he's impacted by a hurricane.
Hurricane Preparedness Week runs through May 10. The week aims to remind people to prepare, plan, and stay informed ahead of hurricane season, which officially starts June 1.
"We've all been in the situation where you wait until the last minute, and you go running to the store," said Jess Whitehead, executive director of the Institute for Coastal Adaptation and Resilience.
Whitehead highlighted one of the biggest misconceptions of hurricane season: "When people focus on the center of the track, they have a tendency to take a look at where the storm is going to make landfall and think, 'Oh, if I'm nowhere near where it's going to make landfall, it's not going to effect me.'"
Preparations everyone should take include having 72 hours worth of food, including non-perishable items, water, and an emergency kit, Whitehead says.
City leaders say it's important to know your evacuation zone if a hurricane hits. This also includes knowing what to do once the storm passes.
"You need to plan to be able to be self sufficient up to 72 hours after a storm. Your local emergency management, state emergency management, and federal officials are going to concentrate on the people who need the most help first. So your goal is to not be one of those people," said Whitehead.
To look up your zone, enter your address into the Virginia Know Your Zone Tool here.
