ORLANDO, Fla. – With this hurricane season already breaking records, state and and local emergency management leaders are urging Floridians to start preparing now.
Kevin Guthrie, executive director of the Florida Division of Emergency Management, met with emergency leaders from Brevard, Orange, Osceola, Seminole and Sumter counties on Monday to talk about their needs.
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“We have been preparing for a combination of the 2004-05 season, so we’re preparing as if we’re going to have six,” Guthrie said. “We’re anticipating potential multiple landfalls, two different sides of the coast. Maybe it’s the same coast. We are ready for that. We have worked our plans, policies, procedures our exercises to make sure that we are ready for even a disaster that hit like Louisiana did a couple of years ago. Three hurricanes within 50 miles of each other.”
Emergency leaders stressed there are five things homeowners can do to prepare before a storm comes.
1. MAKE A PLAN
2. BUILD A HURRICANE SUPPLY KIT
“If you have older folks in your family, make sure you have the prescriptions, medications they are going to need. If you have kids, make sure you have batteries for iPads, tablets, iPhones to keep them happy if you will, if they have to evacuate,” Guthrie said.
3. KNOW YOUR HOME AND EVACUATION ZONE
“If your house has been built in the State of Florida after 2004, you’re most likely built to Florida building code or you should be built to Florida building code, which means your home should be able to withstand 115 mph or higher winds,” according to Guthrie.
Guthrie told News 6, people who live in manufactured houses, mobile homes and RV’s should evacuate.
“For those that are in mobile homes, they should have already in their plan who they are going to stay with,” said Lauraleigh Avery, Orange County emergency manager. “Orange County has 45 public schools that we can open as shelters if that need arises, but we really encourage people that if they are in a structure that is not safe for the hurricane or the winds 115 miles or above, to have it in their plan of where they’re going to go.”
Find out if your home is in an evacuation zone here.
4. HALFWAY FULL IS THE NEW EMPTY
“Halfway on an electric charge, halfway on a gas tank is now the new empty. We want you to fill up when you get to halfway full,” Guthrie said. “What we’re trying to do is cut down on crowds. Crowds lead to lines, lines lead to blocked traffic, blocked traffic leads to people not be able to evacuate.
Here’s what you can do to stock up on gas for months.
5. EVACUATE TENS OF MILES
Guthrie said people do not need to evacuate hundreds of miles.
“Individuals that live on the coastal areas of this viewing community, you’re in Brevard County, you’re in Volusia County, you’re in Flagler County, you only need to go most likely west of I-95 and you’ll be out of most of our evacuation zones.”