Hurricane Season starts June 1^st, and many meteorologists think that people have become complacent when it comes to the dangers that a major hurricane can bring. Sure, there was Hurricane Andrew back in 1992 and Katrina devastated New Orleans in 2005; but, for the most part, residents living in hurricane zones along the Gulf Coast and the East Coast haven’t had to deal with a major landfall in decades.

Historically, cities like Tampa, Daytona Beach, Houston and Jacksonville are hit with a major hurricane every 20 to 40 years. However, many of the cities in these hurricane zones have gone for 70 years or more without suffering a major blow.

Hurricanes Andrew and Katrina both packed winds in excess of 100 MPH and the damage that a major hurricane can bring will be devastating. Many experts think that it isn’t a matter of if a major hurricane will hit the Gulf or East Coasts; but, rather, it’s a matter of when. Statistically, cities all along these hurricane corridors are faced with the fact that eventually, their good luck is going to run out.

FEMA administrator, Craig Fugate has said that they are preparing for the worst case scenario, but there are concerns that residents in these high risk areas aren’t doing enough to make sure they are prepared. Many people who have never faced the ravaging effects of a major hurricane greatly underestimate how bad it can get.

Of course, there are also those who have been through smaller storms and think that they are prepared to handle the power of a big storm. Fugate says that this misguided sense of preparedness is what can “get you killed.”

The National Hurricane Center estimates that a major hurricane should hit Tampa approximately every 30 years; but, it has been decades since they’ve experienced a major hit. Christopher Landsea of the National Hurricane Center in Miami says this is “a real big concern.” He says that he is concerned that Tampa will have hundreds or even thousands of people killed the next time a major hurricane hits the Tampa Bay area.

The last major hurricane to hit the Houston area was back in 1941 according to the National Hurricane Center. Kathleen Tierney, director of the National Hazards Center at the University of Colorado, says she is seriously worried about Houston because it is a major petrochemical center and the potential for a combined natural-technological event poses a very serious threat.

Even East Coast cities such as Norfolk, Virginia and Ocean City, Maryland are at risk for a major hurricane. While these areas don’t experience hurricane landfall as often as Florida, they are still at risk and it has been more than 160 years since they’ve been hit by a major storm.

While each hurricane season stands on its own and the odds of a major hurricane don’t increase simply because it’s been a long time since a major hurricane has hit, being prepared is certainly crucial. Now is the time to make sure you have the water, food and other supplies you’ll need to ride out a major storm. Of course, a bug out bag or emergency go-pack can help ensure you’re ready to evacuate at a moment’s notice. Don’t wait until a hurricane is about to make landfall, prepare now and know that your family will be safe, regardless of what the weather might bring.