With hurricane season now underway and severe weather always a possibility in Southeast Texas, the Bluebonnet Master Gardeners of Austin County will host a special bonus edition of their Spring Lunch-N-Learn series on Tuesday, June 16, focusing on disaster readiness and emergency planning.
The program, titled “Disaster Readiness: How to Be Prepared for Any Disaster,” is designed to help residents better prepare their homes and families for emergencies. Participants will learn about the types of disasters that can affect the region, including hurricanes, flooding, tornadoes, severe thunderstorms, and extended power outages. The presentation will also cover steps families can take before disaster strikes to improve safety and reduce stress during an emergency.
The featured speaker will be Stephen Burnett, Texas A&M AgriLife Disaster Assessment and Recovery Specialist. Burnett will discuss how to create a comprehensive household emergency plan, what supplies should be included in an emergency kit, and how residents can determine whether they should shelter in place or evacuate when conditions warrant. Attendees will receive go/stay checklists to assist them in assembling emergency preparedness kits for their homes.
The event comes as the Atlantic hurricane season enters its first month. The official storm names for the 2026 Atlantic hurricane season include Arthur, Bertha, Cristobal, Dolly, Edouard, Fay, Gonzalo, Hanna, Isaias, Josephine, Kyle, Leah, Marco, Nana, Omar, Paulette, Rene, Sally, Teddy, Vicky, and Wilfred. While forecasters are predicting a less active season than average, emergency management officials continue to stress that it only takes one storm making landfall in the wrong place to create a significant disaster.
Emergency preparedness experts recommend maintaining enough water, food, medications, and essential supplies to last several days. Households should also keep important documents in a secure, waterproof location and ensure that family members know evacuation routes and communication plans. Pet owners should also remember to include food, medications, carriers, and vaccination records for their animals as part of any emergency preparedness plan.
The program will be held at the Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Office, located at 800 Wendt Street in Bellville. Doors will open and registration will begin at 11:50 a.m., with the presentation starting promptly at 12:00 p.m. and concluding by 12:55 p.m. Following the presentation, Burnett will be available to answer questions from attendees.
All Master Gardener Lunch-N-Learn programs are free and open to the public. Guests are welcome to bring their own lunch and beverage, and light refreshments will also be available. Registration is not required but is encouraged.
For more information about the Bluebonnet Master Gardener Association, visit txmg.org/bluebonnet. Questions about the program may be directed to Stacie Villarreal, Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service Austin County Agriculture and Natural Resources Agent, at 979-865-2072, or Stephen Burnett at 361-230-9358.
