SEMINOLE COUNTY, Fla. – Due to the ongoing coronavirus pandemic, Seminole County is taking an online approach to its annual hurricane expo.
Instead of their in-person event, which typically hosts vendor booths related to hurricane preparedness and about 1,000 attendees, Seminole County Emergency Management officials have launched their virtual expo to allow residents to prepare for hurricane season in a safe manner.
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According to the county’s website, emergency management staff will host a series of Facebook Lives at 12:30 p.m. each day this week to provide tips to prepare for hurricane season.
Staff members will present a hurricane preparedness or recovery topic each afternoon as they welcome users to submit questions related to the topic of the day.
On Monday, Emergency Management Senior Planner Steven Lerner discussed what to expect this hurricane season in light of COVID-19.
He said with COVID-19′s presence in the community, county officials are working nonstop to determine how social distancing plays a role in their hurricane response.
[PRINT/DOWNLOAD: News 6 Hurricane Preparedness Checklist]
His biggest suggestion from Monday’s Facebook Live: Begin to plan early.
“Planning early is probably the most effective form of preparedness that you can have for you and your family,” Lerner said.
You can watch the full discussion in the video player embedded below.
HURRICANE LIVE CHAT: Join Emergency Management Senior Planner Steven Lerner to discuss Hurricane Season 2020: What to Expect in Light of COVID-19. A brief synopsis of the County’s preparedness activities will be shared, followed by a live question and answer session. Any COVID-19 specific questions will be addressed by way of written reply following the live chat. Please visit PrepareSeminole.org for more information or to visit our Virtual Hurricane Expo. Citizens Information Line staff are on standby Monday-Friday, 8:00a.m.-5:00p.m. by calling 407-665-0000.
Posted by Seminole County FL on Monday, June 8, 2020
Below is a schedule for upcoming Facebook Lives and the hurricane-related topics set to be discussed each day:
- Tuesday, June 9 – Hurricane kits
- Wednesday, June 10 – Protect your home: Insurance and mitigation strategies
- Thursday, June 11 – Seniors and populations with special medical needs
- Friday, June 12 – Shelters: Refuges of last resort
Visit Facebook.com/Seminolecounty to participate in the live chats.
If you’re unable to attend the live events, you can get resources from the county by visiting PrepareSeminole.org, where you’ll find tips on how to make a plan, how to put together a kit for your family and how to stay informed, among other useful information.
If you go to the hurricane expo section, you’ll find a series of videos about storm preparedness, including information about weather data for Seminole County, how to prepare your home and pets and other tips from experts. Sandbag and shelter information can also be found in this section.
Hurricane season lasts through Nov. 30 and is expected to bring above-average storm activity, according to forecasters.
Get everything you need before, during and after a storm at ClickOrlando.com/hurricane.