WARNING!—Suffolk emergency management officials couldn’t be more emphatic: Long Islanders are susceptible to storms and other hazards and must be prepared. The point was driven home at a community seminar hosted Monday by Assemblyman Joe DeStefano and other elected leaders at the South Country Ambulance headquarters in Bellport.
“Long Island will get hit by hurricanes, nor’easters, floods, fires—people have to take time now to get ready,” DeStefano said. “A good place to start is going to the county’s emergency services website, follow their checklist, sign up for the alerts, and make sure your family has an action plan.”
Senator Dean Murray echoed that advice. “Ask yourself: if you had to leave your house right now, what would you do?”
“I’m 70 years old and I don’t know how I survived so long without having this information,” remarked seminar attendee Rocco Semisa of Selden. “The material they shared was excellent; it will save lives.”
Legislator Dominick Thorne, a volunteer with South Country, noted that Suffolk has a broad range of emergency services, including local fire departments, ambulance companies, and police, but the public needs to play its part. “Residents have to be aware of the hazards they face; they need to be prepared, to get ready.”
Going over the details was Joseph Trzepizur, the deputy director of Suffolk’s Office of Emergency Management. He urged the county’s vulnerable population to sign up with the Smart911 registry for use during emergencies, evacuations, and sheltering operations. He also recommended that residents join SuffolkAlert by texting SuffolkAlerts to 67283 and completing a Safety Alert profile at Smart911.com.
In the event of a disaster, every household should be prepared to survive independently for at least 72 hours, the officials said. That means assembling an emergency supply kit—or “Go Bag”—with essential items including food, water, medications, first aid, and other critical supplies tailored to their family’s specific needs. Power, water, and communication systems may be down for days, so having a plan, even for pets or vehicle emergencies, is crucial. Kits should be stored in accessible locations and maintained regularly to ensure everything remains up-to-date and functional.
Equally important is having a family emergency plan in place before a crisis strikes. Severe events can separate loved ones, so every household should think ahead about how to communicate, where to meet, and how to respond to different scenarios. The plan should consider children, seniors, people with disabilities, and anyone with special medical needs, as well as where everyone will go in the event of an emergency. Families are also encouraged to learn how to safely shut off utilities, safeguard critical documents, and use their smartphones as preparedness tools. Whether at home, work, school, or in transit, having a location-specific plan could make all the difference.