September = National Preparedness Month

Each week this month, FEMA is highlighting guidance every household should take to prepare for disasters.  Here are some good questions to ask yourself as you make your plan:

1. How will I receive emergency alerts and warnings?
2. What is my shelter plan?
3. What is my evacuation route?
4. What is my family/household communication plan?
5. Do I need to update my emergency preparedness kit?

Are You Prepared?

As Floridians, we are not strangers to the terrible power and ravages of hurricanes and tropical storms. Hurricane season runs from June 1st through November 30th.   Do you have a disaster preparedness plan in place? If not, information and tips for building a plan are available at the below websites. 

1. Know your home! Click here for steps homeowners can take to minimize hurricane damage. 
2. Know your evacuation zone!
3. Make a plan. Click on the below images for tips and instructons on building a plan for your family or business. 

       

Follow the National Weather Service's (NWS) watches and warnings. You can find more information about these risks on ready.gov/hurricanes. 

Websites such as FL511.com provide live traffic updates and safe evacuation routes during storms. It’s also important to keep a list of contact information for reference, including loved ones, local utilities, local hospitals, TV and radio stations, and insurance agents.

Make sure you have an Emergency Supplies Kit as well.

A disaster supplies kit is a collection of basic items your household may need in the event of an emergency. Click here for a checklist of basic supplies your emergency kit should include.

Please assemble your kit well in advance of an emergency! You may have to evacuate at a moment’s notice and take essentials with you. In these instances, you will probably not have time to search for the supplies you need or shop for them.

You may need to survive on your own after an emergency.  Local officials and relief workers will be on the scene after a disaster but they cannot reach everyone immediately. You could get help in hours or it might take days.

Additionally, basic services such as electricity, gas, water, sewage treatment and telephones may be cut off for days or even a week, or longer. Your supplies kit should contain items to help you manage during these outages. State officials and experts recommend having food, water and other supplies in sufficient quantity to last for up to 7 days.

Stay Informed of Local Weather and Disaster Advisories

I will also keep constituents informed of disaster assistance efforts in Central Florida through social media and my weekly e-newsletter the Webster Wire.  Be sure to also follow up-to-date advisories on storms through local emergency management centers listed below. Download this information sheet of contact numbers, addresses, and links to key federal, state and local offices.

Preparedness, Response and COVID-19

State and local officials have been ajdusting their disaster preparedness and response plans given COVID-19.  Under Governor Desantis' direction, Florida Division of Emergency Management has secured Personal Protective Equipment and additional generators for use in a disaster. As of June 8, they had:

• 10 million masks for shelters,
• 12 million N95 masks ordered through agreement with Honeywell, and
• 50 generators – the most Florida has ever owned.

Updated guidance has been provided to county emergency managers and updated plans for shelters that will allow for social distancing and smaller groups are underway.