Oil is spilling into the Gulf of Mexico from a location on the gulf floor 50 miles southeast of Venice, La. As efforts are made to halt the release, emergency responders and volunteers are working to keep the oil from reaching wetlands, fisheries and beaches in Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama and Florida.

(Distributed 05/28/08) Anyone who has heard disaster preparedness recommendations probably knows a three-day emergency food supply is on the list. But just what does that mean? LSU AgCenter nutritionist and food safety expert Dr. Beth Reames has the answers.

If you don’t have the right answers to this hurricane quiz, you may be flirting with disaster for your home or your family, cautions LSU AgCenter housing specialist Dr. Claudette Reichel.

(Distributed 05/29/08) Everyone will be able to cope better if you talk to your children early about hurricanes and get them involved in your plans and preparations, says LSU AgCenter family development specialist Dr. Diane Sasser. Discussing what hurricanes are, the dangers they pose and the safety measures to take against them can help to alleviate some of the fear and anxiety children and adults feel when a storm is approaching.

(Distributed 05/26/08) If your family has a plan for what you’d do in case of a hurricane or other disaster, now is the time to pull it out and review it. If you don’t, there’s still time to write your plan, LSU AgCenter disaster preparedness specialist Pat Skinner says.

(Distributed 05/19/08) Neglecting to make basic preparations could be a decision you heartily regret if a major storm or hurricane comes your way. That’s a message LSU AgCenter experts are stressing as this year’s hurricane season approaches.

(Distributed 05/09/08) With hurricane season approaching, it’s a good time to ask yourself a few questions to determine if you’re appropriately prepared. Even if you’ve been through a hurricane before, it’s easy to forget some of the preparations that can protect your property and family, experts with the LSU AgCenter stress.

(Distributed 05/30/08) Packing a box you can “grab and go” in case you need to evacuate could save you from financial disasters and hardships, according to LSU AgCenter family economist Dr. Jeanette Tucker. “You may not be able to prevent hurricanes and storms that interrupt your routine or destroy your home, but you can make plans to keep them from disrupting everything,” Tucker says.

This report summarizes the estimated damage caused by excessive rains in September and October 2009.

Reasonable precautions will not only help to prevent the spread of the flu but may also save lives in vulnerable populations such as the elderly.