McRae: Are You Prepared?
By Treasurer David McRae
It’s hard to believe, but this year will mark the twentieth anniversary of Hurricane Katrina. Many don’t know this, but my wife Katie spent six years working on post-Katrina recovery projects for the Mississippi Development Authority. Through that, our family was able to see up close just how resilient Mississippians are.
Since then, hurricanes have continued to hit our coastline, leaving tornadoes and floods to tear through communities to the north. In every instance, our citizens have stepped up and stepped through the crisis together.
As Treasurer, I’ve long sought ways to do my part in the recovery efforts as well. Earlier this year after a spate of devastating tornadoes, my Unclaimed Money team did a proactive data match in the impacted counties. When we found a match, we sent the resident their unclaimed money – no forms, no signatures, no hassle required on their end. Their only responsibility was to cash the check once it arrived at their door.
Gov. Tate Reeves designated May 4 through 10 as Hurricane Preparedness Week, a time to remind even seasoned hurricane families that the time to prepare is now. At the State Treasury, we cleared the way for another round of unclaimed money returns that would put checks in the mailboxes of victims as quickly as possible.
It’s important to note that unclaimed money returns are not a disaster payment. Unclaimed money is your money that you’ve lost track of along the way. If you would like to find that money on your own now, you can do so at treasury.ms.gov/search. From there, we’ll get a claim started for you and if everything looks right, we’ll send you a check in short order.
I encourage you to think about storm preparations too. While most know the advice, it does bear repeating. Build an emergency kit with items you might need during a crisis, such as bottled water, canned food, a flashlight with batteries, and medication. This kit can be personalized to meet the needs of your family. You can include items for your kids, your pets, or anything to make your family more comfortable during a crisis.
Prepare your home by securing outdoor items like lawn furniture or trash cans, protecting windows, cleaning the gutters, and reviewing your current insurance policies. Develop an evacuation plan with your family. Identify evacuation zones and alternative evacuation routes (in case of road closures) and have a meeting place for your family in case you get separated.
Perhaps most importantly, get ready to listen to local officials – especially if an evacuation order is issued.
Mississippians are a tough lot. We’ve weathered storms, and we’ve come out the other side stronger. But we can all strengthen our resilience through preparation. As always, if you need anything from my office, just call (601) 359-3600.
Mississippi Treasurer David McRae is the 55th Treasurer for the State of Mississippi. In this role, he helps manage the state’s cash flow, oversees College and Career Savings Mississippi, and has returned more than $100 million in unclaimed money to Mississippians. For more information, visit Treasury.MS.gov.
