With the major climate prediction organizations such as the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration and the National Hurricane Center predicting an 80 percent chance of an above-normal hurricane season, the Village of Lake Success in conjunction with the Nassau County Office of Emergency Management is holding a community-wide meeting to cover steps you can take to ensure the safety of your family members and your home.

The meeting is set for Monday, July 17 at 7:30 p.m. at the Village of Lake Success's village hall and golf club, 318 Lakeville Road.

Mitch Ostrover, team coordinator for the Lake Success/Great Neck Community Emergency Response Team (CERT) says, "What everyone needs to understand is that if a hurricane hits Long Island, we are going to be on our own. Local, state, and federal assistance may not come for days. We must all be prepared to be on our own for five to ten days. Depending on the strength of the storm and how much damage is done, power will be out, roads may be blocked, and emergency responders may not be able to get to you. This will be a time that you will need to be able to take care of yourself. Neighbors will need to help neighbors to get through this. Many of the Great Neck villages have CERT team members who will try to help after the storm passes, but they will also be limited in how far they can travel from their homes. This is why everyone needs to know what they should have ready before a hurricane comes, and what they need to do before, during, and after the storm."

The July 17 meeting is very timely as the official beginning of the hurricane season is August.