'Have That Plan Ready To Go' Stress FEMA, NOAA Leaders At National Hurricane Conference

MIAMI (CBSMiami) – Hurricane season starts June 1 and it'll be here before you know it, which is why it's never too early to get prepared. The upcoming hurricane season could rival that of 2021, which ushered in 21 named storms. Researchers say that number is above average which is why it's important to be prepared and know your risk.

That's the message Federal Emergency Management Agency Administrator Deanne Criswell and National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's National Hurricane Center Director Ken Graham delivered at the annual National Hurricane Conference in Orlando on Wednesday.

Criswell and Graham say complacency and lack of preparedness are what keeps them up at night and they want all Americans, no matter where you live, to have a plan.

"Do you know how you're going to evacuate? Do you know where you're going to go?" asked Criswell.

"You gotta have that plan ready to go," stressed Graham.

It's been nearly eight months since Category 4 Hurricane Ida carved its devastating path from the Gulf up through the northeast, directly killing 55 people.

Some Louisiana residents are still living in trailers.

"It's going to be a long time before we come back, real long time," said Louisiana resident Jenna Caminita

A recent Colorado State University study predicts this year's season, from June 1 through November 30, could see 19 named storms, with nine hurricanes.

"If this verifies, this is the 7th above average season in a row," said climate specialist Alex Desrosiers, whose research was part of the study. "It only takes one storm in your area to make it an active hurricane season for you. You should still be ready."

Federal administrators also point out that recent storms, like Ida, intensify quickly and hover over land much longer than in previous years impacting their timeline to get the message out.

"These storms are getting worse, they're getting worse," said Criswell. "We're gonna have less time to warn people."

These federal agencies say they're also doing all they can to expand their outreach, including diversifying their teams, especially to Spanish speaking communities to reach everyone potentially in a storm's path.

They also warned of indirect deaths in the aftermath of major storms, such as heart attacks and carbon monoxide poisoning caused by improper use of generators. They say people should have their supplies gathered and learn proper generator safety measures, ahead of a hurricane or tropical storm.