Gov. Andrew Cuomo is encouraging New Yorkers to prepare for dangerous storms as hurricane season nears.

Cuomo has proclaimed this week as hurricane preparedness week in New York state.

Division of Homeland Security Commissioner John Melville says Hurricane Irene, Tropical Storm Lee, and Superstorm Sandy have shown everybody there’s not a single area of the state that will never have to think about hurricanes and severe weather.

Officials are urging people to talk to family, neighbors, and community leaders, and have the tools and supplies needed to keep safe.

Residents also are encouraged to sign up for NY-Alert. That’s the state’s free, all-hazards notification system that provides up-to-date, critical, emergency-related information via the web, email, or smartphones.

Hurricane season in the Atlantic starts June 1 and ends November 30th.

(AP)