Assemblyman Dave McDonough (R,C,I-Merrick) and Senator Charles Fuschillo Jr. recently announced they will be co-hosting two hurricane preparedness programs during the first week in August. They will be held on Tuesday, August 7 at the Town of Hempstead-Merrick Road Park, 2550 Clubhouse Road, Merrick, NY 11566, and on Wednesday, August 8 at the Wantagh Fire Department, 3470 Park Avenue, Wantagh, NY 11793. Both programs will begin at 7:00 p.m.

“Tropical storm Irene hit Long Island with tremendous force last year and caused serious destruction,” said McDonough. “Fortunately, thanks to the brave actions by emergency personnel, the outcome while tragic was not as bad as it could have been. However, we need to be prepared for the possibility of future landfalling hurricanes. Senator Fuschillo and I, and other emergency management officials, will be providing education and information in order to be prepared before and during any storms.”

Senator Fuschillo, who is joining Assemblyman McDonough, shares the concerns about safety during severe weather.

“Irene reminded us all last year that hurricanes and major storms can hit Long Island and cause serious damage. The best way to protect our families and homes is to be prepared. Through these meetings, residents can learn from the experts about simple steps they can take now to help ensure that they are prepared in case a hurricane, major storm, or other emergency affects our community,” said Senator Fuschillo

The programs will include preparedness information and instructions from members of the Nassau County Office of Emergency Services.

In 2011, Irene caused widespread devastation to Long Island. While it was downgraded to a tropical storm by the time it made landfall, Irene still produced wind gusts of 70 to 90 mph. The Long Island Power Authority estimated that more than 450,000 customers on the island lost power. Nationwide, the storm resulted in at least 40 deaths and left approximately 3.5 million customers in the dark.

This year, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) predicts the season that began June 1 could spawn nine to 15 named storms, with four to eight reaching hurricane strength (top winds of 74 mph or higher) and of those, one to three will become major hurricanes (top winds of 111 mph or higher, ranking Category 3, 4 or 5).