Whether you have an iPhone or Android, the American Red Cross wants to make it easy for you to be prepared during hurricanes.
The nonprofit announced Wednesday that its new "Hurricane App" is available for free download in both the iPhone App Store and the Google Play Store for Androids — simply by searching American Red Cross. You can also get the app by dialing **redcross from your mobile phone to generate a text message with a download link.
“This app gives you important information and tools to use before, during and after the storm,” said Mario Bruno, CEO of the American Red Cross Connecticut and Rhode Island Region. “With Hurricane season heating up, this is a great time to download our free app to check your readiness and add one more tool to your home preparedness kit.”
The app features important safety information, real-time hurricane tracking and tools to let loved ones and friends know that you’re safe and well.
The announcement comes about a week after to hold an emergency preparedness seminar, where the towns and utility went over emergency plans in the case of a hard storm.
Hurricane Season's Peak
According to the National Weather Service, the Atlantic hurricane season peaks in August and extends through September. It was the end of August last year when .
On May 24, the NWS' Climate Prediction Center released its outlook for the 2012 Atlantic Hurricane Season. That reads, in part:
Given the current and expected conditions, combined with model forecasts and possible competing factors, we estimate a 70% probability for each of the following ranges of activity during 2012:
- 9-15 Named Storms,
- 4-8 Hurricanes
- 1-3 Major Hurricanes
- An Accumulated Cyclone Energy (ACE) range of 65%-140% of the median.
The outlook is scheduled to be updated early this month, the center states.
