Hurricane season for us began June 1, and forecasters this year predict up to eight tropical cyclones could develop from now through Nov. 30 in the Central Pacific.

With weather maps looking quiet at the moment, it’s the perfect time to prepare an emergency plan for you and your family.

The West Maui Taxpayers Association put a disaster preparedness reminder in this month’s newsletter: “After all, it’s not whether or not we will have more hurricanes, floods, tidal waves and fires. It’s only a question of when they will occur. They will occur! Will we be ready?”

The Maui Emergency Management Agency (via www.mauicounty.gov) has great resources, including how to create a Personal Preparation Plan and pack an Emergency Survival Kit.

Residents should also take advantage of Maka’ala, Maui County’s Emergency Alert System.

Maka’ala is a free service that enables you to sign up and receive emergency notifications.

This service allows agencies dealing with emergency response to send out accurate and up-to-date information.

You can customize the types of alerts – hurricane and tsunami warnings, for example – and receive them via phone, e-mail or text on up to ten different devices.

A sample message during an emergency to Maka’ala users could read: “You are in a tsunami inundation zone and will need to evacuate the area by ___ time. Your nearest emergency shelter is located at ___.”

To sign up for the Maka’ala Emergency Alert System online, visit the Maui County website at www.mauicounty.gov and click on the link near the top of the front page.

Reliable information is vital during an emergency. Sign up to receive the latest warnings and tips from Civil Defense.