With Monday marking the beginning of hurricane season, this afternoon the President will attend a hurricane preparedness meeting at FEMA Headquarters.    The President has already called on all Americans to plan ahead and help secure the safety of those facing advancing storms, declaring May 24 through May 30, 2009 National Hurricane Preparedness Week.

Department of Homeland Security Secretary Napolitano said preparing for disasters is one of the highest priorities of Homeland Security. Last week, she visited Florida with FEMA Administrator, Craig Fugate, to assess the preparations for the beginning of hurricane season. This followed a teleconference with governors from across the country to discuss hurricane preparations in their states. Secretary Napolitano announced that the Department is ready for this year’s hurricane season, and prepared to support local, state and tribal partners in need of assistance. However, she said preparedness is a shared responsibility among government agencies, the private sectors and individuals. Individuals need to do their part to prepare for the upcoming hurricane season.

For more information on hurricane preparedness, please visit the National Hurricane Center’s site. You can also learn what you need in your emergency supply kit at Ready.gov.