Today, June 1, is the date most coastal residents recognize as the official start to the Atlantic hurricane season. It’s also the day when Hurricane Preparedness Week draws to a close.

It’s important to acknowledge that hurricane preparations should not end today. For the next six months, we are vulnerable to Mother Nature’s fury, and we need to be prepared at all times.

The American Red Cross, an authority on disaster preparations and response, will host several training sessions in June.

• From 2 p.m. until 4 p.m. Sunday, a shelter-exercise training session will be conducted for Red Cross employees and volunteers.
• From 9 a.m. until noon June 9, those interested in volunteering as drivers are invited to the emergency-response-vehicle training session. An ERV is used to deliver food, water and supplies to the community during a disaster.

The training sessions will be held at the Red Cross’ Pitt County chapter office at 312 E. 10th St. in Greenville. Interested parties should contact the Red Cross at 252-355-3800 to register or for more information.

Hurricane-preparation information for boaters also is available next week as the Pamlico Sail and Power Squadron presents a free, customized seminar relating to nautical preparations. Speakers include National Weather Service forecaster Lara Pagano, Beaufort County Emergency Management Coordinator John Pack, Pamlico Plantation emergency manager Emory Morgan and Cypress Landing dockmaster Bill Sholl.

The seminar, open to the public, will be held from 9 a.m. until noon Tuesday at the N. C. Department of Water Quality office at 942 Washington Square Mall.

We have no control over the amount of damage one storm can cause, but we can control our preparations.

These sessions can serve to be the key to survival until this storm season ends Nov. 30.