Mayor Edwin M. Lee today issued the following statement regarding Mexico bracing for impact of Category 5 Hurricane Patricia, the strongest recorded hurricane in the Western Hemisphere:

“On behalf of the residents of San Francisco, I extend my thoughts and prayers to the residents and tourists in Mexico bracing for this potentially catastrophic landfall of Hurricane Patricia, the strongest recorded hurricane with rain, flooding, landslides and strong winds battering the coast of Mexico.

I have already reached out to our Consul General of Mexico to offer assistance to the people of Mexico during this time, and we as a City stand ready to support any international assistance effort to help the children and families in this region. San Franciscans understand the destructive power of natural disasters, and we will closely monitor the situation.
 
This is another stark reminder that we must always be prepared and ensure our families are safe. As a City, we are making investments in strengthening our emergency infrastructure because we know disasters can happen at any time with little or no warning. It is important to take steps now so we are ready for any emergency.”

Mayor Lee urges all San Franciscans to visit sf72.org to learn how to prepare and to join your Neighborhood Emergency Response Team (NERT).