It's that time of year again - time to prepare for hurricane season.  While Miami-Dade County government is prepared to help residents and visitors before and after a hurricane strikes, we cannot do it all alone.  We need all of you to prepare as well and take personal responsibility for yourself and your family.

June marks the start of the 2008 Atlantic Hurricane Season.  I urge all residents to prepare their hurricane disaster kits and emergency plans now.

Self-sufficiency is the key!  If you're not prepared to care for yourself and your family for the first 72 hours after a storm - you're simply not ready.

Now is the time to go buy the necessary supplies - water, canned food, a flashlight, a battery-operated radio, a phone with a cord and screws for your hurricane shutters.  We all know the precautions.  Decide how you will secure your home.  And, decide where you'll go if an evacuation is ordered in your area.

Our community has been very lucky. For the past two years, we've had a relatively quiet season.  Because of that, there's a temptation to take a "wait and see" approach.  I am here to tell you - DO NOT.  Those of us who were here in 2005 know what kind of devastation Category 1 storms, like Katrina and Wilma, can bring.

I also want to remind everyone that Miami-Dade County has some useful tools that can help keep your family informed and prepared, like our free Hurricane Guide and Miami-Dade Alerts, a wireless emergency alerting system.  Any internet user can register for this service - for free - and receive local weather and hurricane alerts.  I encourage everyone to register online.

Finally, while no one can predict with absolute certainty where the hurricanes that form this season will strike, I am confident Miami-Dade County residents can set an example for the nation on how to prepare. Again, now is the time to be proactive, plan and prepare.