An unusual pre-season tropical storm "Ana" struck the East Coast of the U.S. in April, a typhoon roared over Guam in May to kick-off the season, large golf-ball sized hail pummeled the mid-section of the U.S. and added to the torment of a year's worth of tornados, floods and the Boston blizzard.

Recent severe weather can be very stressful and even dangerous, and being left without a plan to get ahead of these natural disasters can put you and your family at risk.

Navy Installations Command and Ready Navy are encouraging every Sailor, their families and our civilian workforce to take proactive, preparedness measures to stay safe no matter what the season.

The hurricane season officially began in June and runs through November.

So how do you prepare? Start with a plan.

"Do not wait for a hurricane or typhoon warning to stock your home with emergency supplies," said Jeff Sanford, N37 Emergency Management. "As a storm approaches, there can be a run on essential supplies or possible power outages, so take steps today to ensure you and your families are prepared for the threat of a hurricane or typhoon."

In addition to an evacuation plan, it's recommended families have at least three days of emergency supplies on hand, according to the American Red Cross, including one gallon of water per person per day, non-perishable foods and personal hygiene products.

Hurricane season runs from June 1 to November 30. Typhoons can happen in the Northwest Pacific at any time of year, but are most likely to occur July 1 to September 30.

A number of news reports are suggest the number of named storms and hurricanes in the 2015 Atlantic season is predicted to stay below historical averages. However, it only takes one major storm to cause widespread destruction, and bad thunderstorms can wreak havoc when cold and warm fronts collide.

In 2012, Hurricane Sandy caused an estimated $50 billion in damage, with 24 states affected. It is also the deadliest hurricane since Hurricane Katrina in 2004, according to a report by the National Weather Service.

These facts and figures are a numerical representation of how lives can be changed by just one natural disaster. Take steps today to be informed of how hurricane/typhoon threats affect your locality. Make a plan for how to respond to a typhoon or hurricane watch and warning and build a kit that will sustain you and your family for at least three to five days.

Visit Ready Navy at www.ready.navy.mil for more information on hurricane/typhoon preparedness.

Ready Navy is the Navy's Emergency Preparedness Program and is sponsored by the Commander, Navy Installations Command (CNIC). Ready Navy provides information, tools, and resources to empower the Navy family to more aptly prepare for, react, and recover when faced with any emergency, with or without advanced warning.

For more information on Ready Navy, visit www.Ready.Navy.mil, or contact Ready Navy by e-mail at ready.navy@navy.mil or by phone at (202)433-9348, DSN 288-9348.

Follow Ready Navy on Facebook (www.facebook.com/ReadyNavy), Twitter (@ReadyNavy), YouTube, and Instagram.

CNIC is headquarters to 11 Navy Regions around the world, 70 shore installations and more than 52,000 officers, Sailors and civilian employees.

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