The following information is provided by Zach Wolgemuth, Executive, UCC Disaster Ministries. 

FEMA, through its regional offices in Atlanta, Philadelphia, New York and Boston, continues to monitor Hurricane Joaquin and remains in close contact with state, tribal and local officials. According to the National Hurricane Center as of 11:00 am EDT, Hurricane Joaquin was located 80 miles south-southeast of San Salvador and moving toward the southwest at 6 mph.The maximum sustained winds were 125 mph. Joaquin is a Category 3 Hurricane on the Saffir-Simpson Hurricane Wind Scale. Some additional strengthening is possible during the next 24 hours, with some fluctuations in intensity possible Friday night and Saturday.
 
We encourage those in the areas potentially affected by Joaquin to monitor local radio, TV stations or official social media accounts for updated emergency information, and to follow the instructions of state, local, and tribal officials. 
 
Safety and Preparedness Tips

•          In any emergency, always follow the instructions given by state, local, or tribal emergency management officials.
•          FEMA encourages all Americans to visit www.ready.gov or ready.gov/es (in Spanish) to learn more about how to be better prepared and how to protect your family during emergencies.
•          Plan for your loved ones’ needs in advance. Ask schools, hospitals, nursing homes and day care facilities about their emergency plans and how they will keep your loved ones safe. 
•          Talk with personal care assistance providers, oxygen or dialysis providers, child or adult care providers, transportation providers, schools and workplaces about their plan for emergencies. 
•          Residents and visitors in potentially affected areas should be familiar with evacuation routes, have a family emergency communications plan, keep a battery-powered radio handy and have plans for their family members and pets.  People with disabilities and others with access and functional needs, older adults and their families may need to take additional steps for themselves and their service animals. 
•          If you or someone you know needs assistance to receive and respond to emergency alerts and to safely evacuate in an emergency, work with family members, neighbors, friends, service providers and coworkers as partners in planning strategies that will work for your specific needs, whether you are at home or away from home.  

For more information on preparing for severe weather and other natural disasters, and what you can do to protect yourself, your family and your business, visit www.ready.gov or www.ready.gov/es.  Information regarding emergency preparedness and what to do before and after a disaster can also be found at m.fema.gov or by downloading the FEMA app from your smartphone’s app store.

For more hurricane preparation ideas, visit the MA Conference Disaster Resource blog here.