BREVARD COUNTY, Fla. – Residents of Brevard County have a variety of resources available to them while preparing for a storm, riding it out and dealing with the aftermath once it passes.
[HURRICANE RESOURCES: ClickOrlando.com/Hurricane]
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News 6 meteorologists work diligently to pinpoint dangerous weather as it approaches and moves through Central Florida, making sure residents know when and how their areas will be impacted.
How to stay informed
To receive updates from our team, you can download the free News 6 and Pinpoint Weather apps by searching WKMG in your app store. Our Pinpoint Weather app will send push alerts customized to where you live.
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You can also watch News 6 and check ClickOrlando.com for all weather updates.
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While there are a variety of communication tools the county utilizes to inform its residents, emergency management officials still say those tools should not be substituted for official notification via a NOAA Weather Radio. A NOAA Weather Radio remains the most effective way to receive timely and official emergency weather notifications, according to the county website. This new feature allows residents to program their radios to warn only for specific locations.
The primary frequency for Weather Alert Radios in Brevard County is 162.5550MHz and the same (FIPS) code is 012009, according to emergency management officials.
Here are some other ways to stay informed:
- Text alerts: To receive text message updates from the Brevard EOC on your cellphone, text BrevardEOC to 888777 (normal text messaging rates apply).
- 24-hour helpline: Before, during and after an emergency, residents may dial 211 to reach the Community Information Hotline. Specialists have the most up-to-date information on topics including sandbags, evacuation routes and shelters, as well as how to get help after a storm.
- AlertBrevard Mass Notification System: Residents of Brevard County can be notified about emergencies in their area through an automated call notification system. Emergency Management uses AlertBrevard to send important information to the public. However, call notifications go only to landline telephones unless other numbers are added to the Brevard County database. If you only have a cellphone, register your number here.
- Social media: Follow @BrevardEOC on Twitter and "Like" Brevard County Emergency Management on Facebook. Click here for a full list of National Weather Service and Hurricane Center channels to follow.
- Click here to check the Brevard County Flood Zone Map to determine whether you live in a flood zone and may need sandbags.
Stay informed about public safety messaging during hurricane season here.
Shelter information
After Hurricane Matthew, Brevard County Emergency Management officials said they stopped publicizing a list of the county’s shelters too far in advance of a storm, because not all shelters are open for every weather event.
That decision was made after county officials heard feedback from residents. The new policy is that ahead of a storm, the county will only announce shelter locations that will be open for that storm.
With the change, be sure to keep the links below handy. EOC officials will update them with the list of open shelters if and when the time comes.
For information on Brevard County's sheltering program and what to expect when coming to a shelter, click here.
Other resources
For more information from the Brevard County Office of Emergency Management on how to plan for disasters, visit BrevardFL.gov//emergencymanagement.
For weather updates, tips on how to prepare your home, family and pets ahead of a storm and what to expect during and after one, visit ClickOrlando.com/Hurricane.