A new hurricane information resource that includes practical insights from those who've actually weathered a storm or two comes not a moment too soon.

• Next week, May 15 to 21 is National Hurricane Preparedness Week.

• The onset of hurricane season is just a few weeks away, running from June 1 through November 30.

• Forecasters call for a particularly nasty repeat of last year's stormy weather.

• And the folks down in this region need all the help they can get.

People who live in the 12 coastal states from Maine to Texas, where hurricanes are most likely to hit, miserably failed the "Coastal State Residents Fail Hurricane Safety Test" conducted by Mason-Dixon pollsters among 1,100 adults. The average score was 41.75 out of a possible 100 points.

Among those polled, 47 percent had no storm emergency plan, 26 percent said they didn't plan on making any plans and 14 percent were obstinate about staying put should a big hurricane hit. Of course, Mother Nature, may have other plans for them.

So does Denise O'Berry, founder of MyHurricaneCenter.com, if she can get those uninformed rubes to go online and learn something about the risk they face.

"When four hurricanes in a row ravaged the state of Florida in 2004, it was a pretty scary and nerve-wracking ordeal. My family was very lucky to escape harm and only suffered the inconvenience of a week without electricity during one hurricane, and only a day or so during the others. We had very little damage in our area, but I still found it difficult to locate the resources I needed quickly. I can't imagine how tough it was for the people who suffered great losses," she said.

To help others prepare for everything from small inconveniences to a major disaster, she created a website that's best viewed now, before a hurricane approaches.

Just as the experts advise, the site focuses on preparation and planning with information, tips, tools, and resources to help households and businesses get ready for storms. The site is divided into seven distinct areas.

• Tips From The Trenches -- Comments from those who've had their homes and family whipped by gale force winds and drenched by torrential rains, often includes useful tips you may not get from the more clinical "official" hurricane preparedness websites.

  "Katie" advises, "Fill all the empty space in your freezer, and fridge, with some of your bottled water, juice too... doing this will help your fridge and freezer stay cold much longer, and give you cold drinks (a precious commodity) for several days, at least."

  However, tips from a population the poll indicated is too often uninformed about hurricanes, can leave the site open to publishing boners.

  For example, "Kate" and "Tom" suggest if you use masking tape to reinforce windows, you should remove the tape as soon as possible after the storm because the sun will dry it out and bake it on making removal difficult.

  In fact, experts say masking tape does nothing to strengthen windows but gives those who use it a false sense of security. The time wasted treating the windows could be better spent screwing on some plywood (winds are more likely to pull nails loose).

  More than half, 54 percent, of those responding to the Mason-Dixon poll also incorrectly believed that masking tape helps prevent windows from shattering.

  O'Berry did add a statement from experts who offered more accurate recommendations for protecting windows.

  "Off the wall advice won't get on the site. It does go through me first," she said.

• Protect Your Family -- Information and resources here is designed to help families create a disaster supply kit, review their insurance coverage, learn first aid tips, and develop a communication system for staying in touch during a storm.

• Protect Your Home -- This section provides tips for structurally securing your home and protecting assets before a hurricane hits.

• Protect Your Business -- This is the business survival section. Small businesses with limited resources have a particularly difficult time recovering after a major storm. It's critical they don't make matters worse by not preparing.

• Protect Your Pet -- This section includes a pet disaster plan checklist and a resource for stocking up on pet supplies.

• Hurricane Quick Tips -- This area offers short, helpful tips most people often don't consider until it's too late.

• Hurricane Help Documents -- The section offers hot links to helpful online documents from the Federal Emergency Management Agency, the National Hurricane Center, Red Cross and other agencies.

MyHurricaneCenter.com also includes links to hurricane forecasts and predictions, and watches and warnings and is a user-friendly, content-heavy website with few flaws. To maintain the website's credibility, O'Berry must continue to monitor visitors' tips for accuracy. It's the type of website where incorrect information can be its own disaster. Overall, the well-conceived website is a welcomed homey adjunct to the "official" hurricane information sites.

If you live in this region, bookmark it.

Published: May 12, 2005

Use of this article without permission is a violation of federal copyright laws.

A journalist for 35-years, Broderick Perkins parlayed an old-school daily newspaper career into a digital news service offering editorial content and consulting services. Perkins' San Jose, CA-based DeadlineNews Group includes the flagship news site, DeadlineNews.Com, offering real estate, personal finance and consumer journalism, and a backshop, the Deadline Newsroom.