FEMA: Take steps now before you evacuate Irene
With Hurricane Irene aiming for the U.S. East Coast, the head of FEMA told those who live in its path to prepare in advance and get information now that is needed should evacuation orders be issued for their local areas.
"A lot of areas may be at risk, a lot of people that may have to make decisions" on clearing out, said Fugate. "You don't want to wait until the last minute. Be ready to go, and heed the advice of your local officials," Craig Fugate, administrator of the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), said on CBS' "The Early Show." "You don't want to wait until it's too late.
East Coast braces for potentially historic Irene
Stay or go? Officials debate Hurricane Irene
National Hurricane Center's Storm Tracker
When asked where people will need to go once the evacuation order is given, and for how long, Fugate replied, "This is going to be case-by-case, community by community. This is why the first thing you need find out, if you haven't already, [is] do you live in an evacuation zone? And if you do, who will give the recommendation or order to evacuate? Where do you need to go? How far do you need to go?
"You need that information now, because when you evacuate you want to know where you're going and make sure you have somewhere to go - not just get on the road with everybody else and hope you can find some place. That's why it's important now to take those steps."
Having a full tank of gas in the car now is a good idea, too.
"We're not going to be able to prevent all the damage, but we can minimize impacts or risk to loss of life," said Fugate, "and that's why people need to be prepared now."
When asked about social media as sources of emergency information, Fugate said, "The best place to get information about your local evacuations and protective measures is going to be your local radio and TV stations. They're going to be carrying press conferences from local officials - that's going to be your best source for where the information is coming from about what's going on in your community.
"Twitter and other things are good ways to share information, but local officials are talking through radio and television to tell you what you need to do," he said.