#BNformed, stay informed

  Hurricanes affect a considerable portion of our country. And with hurricane season just around the corner, it’s time to think about how we can best prepare for these massive storms. According to the latest information from FEMA, there are some basic steps to take before a hurricane Know your   hurricane risk Make an  emergency plan Build or restock your  emergency preparedness kit Familiarize yourself with local emergency evacuation plans Stay tuned to local  wireless emergency alerts , TV, or radio for weather updates, emergency instructions, or evacuation orders Bring lighters, masks, gloves, hand sanitizer and other supplies to minimize your risks. If you have to evacuate, find low-risk areas that can harbor your family. To learn even more, head over to  ready.gov/hurricanes  and please feel free to send these tips to your friends and family.

  Is someone trying to borrow money in your name? It's a danger we all live with in these days of identity theft and big-company data breaches. That's why it's important to keep track of your credit record and banking or credit card accounts. Because, if you're a victim, the sooner you act the less havoc these criminals will wreak in your life. One of the strongest defenses you have is to freeze your credit record with the big credit reporting agencies -- Equifax, Experian and TransUnion. That will stop anyone borrowing money in your name. You have to do each one separately. But, thinking of your interests and in case this happens to you, I'm passing on the contact details that enable you to get the ball rolling. Here they are: Equifax:  https://tinyurl.com/equi-freeze  (1-800-685-1111) Experian:  https://tinyurl.com/Exper-freeze   (1-888-397-3742) TransUnion:  https://tinyurl.com/TU-freeze  (1-888-909-8872) I collected this information from a very useful section on