Hurricane season begins June 1 and continues through Nov. 30.

Up here in Oxford that doesn’t necessarily strike much fear into us … it just means some beach plans could get ruined by storms or we could wind up with evacuees here in our hotels and our homes threatened by tornadoes spawned in outer bands.

But the threat of hurricanes is real and it has ramifications for the entire state, whether it is monetarily or just for the safety of our fellow Mississippians.

The Mississippi Emergency Management Agency recently rallied in a news conference to prepare for the upcoming season and let various state agencies know what they need to do to prepare and how to handle any aftermath.

Gov. Phil Bryant also declared May 23-27 Hurricane Preparedness Week, and we hope the Mississippi Coast residents used that week to make preparations for their families, whether it is safe places to gather, deciding when to evacuate, procuring supplies or talking to friends further north about a safe place to stay in case of an evacuation.

Now is the time to reach out to your friends before any severe weather hits and let them know if your home is ready and open for them in case of a hurricane.