Hurricane Preparedness

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Building An Emergency Supplies Kit

Being prepared means having your own food, water and other supplies to last for at least 72 hours. A disaster supplies kit is a collection of basic items your household may need in the event of an emergency.

Make sure your emergency kit is stocked with the items on the checklist above.

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• Download the FEMA app to receive real-time alerts from the National Weather Service.
• Sign up for community alerts in your area and be aware of the Emergency Alert System (EAS) and Wireless Emergency Alert (WEA) - which requires no-sign up.
• Visit Ready.gov/hurricanes or Ready.gov/es/huracanes (en Español) for more readiness tips.

Basic Preparedness Tips

• Know your zone.
• If you are ordered to evacuate, know the local hurricane evacuation route(s) to take and have a plan for where you can stay. Contact your local emergency management agency for more information.
• Snap photos of important documents and save them online or in a secure place you can access during an emergency
• Put together a go-bag: disaster supply kit, including a flashlight, batteries, cash, first aid supplies, medications, and copies of your critical information if you need to evacuate
• If you are not in an area that is advised to evacuate and you decide to stay in your home, plan for adequate supplies in case you lose power and water for several days and you are not able to leave due to flooding or blocked roads.
• Make a family emergency communication plan.
• Many communities have text or email alerting systems for emergency notifications. To find out what alerts are available in your area, search the Internet with your town, city, or county name and the word “alerts.

Preparing Your Home

• Hurricane winds can cause trees and branches to fall, so before hurricane season trim or remove damaged trees and limbs to keep you and your property safe.
• Secure loose rain gutters and downspouts and clear any clogged areas or debris to prevent water damage to your property.
• Reduce property damage by retrofitting to secure and reinforce the roof, windows, and doors, including the garage doors.
• Purchase a portable generator or install a generator for use during power outages. Remember to keep generators and other alternate power/heat sources outside, at least 20 feet away from windows and doors and protected from moisture; and NEVER try to power the house wiring by plugging a generator into a wall outlet.
• Consider building a FEMA safe room or ICC 500 storm shelter designed for protection from high-winds and in locations above flooding levels.

The websites below provide additional resources you and your family may find useful.

www.fema.gov
www.ready.gov
www.listo.gov​
www.nhc.noaa.gov
www.noaa.gov
www.floridadisaster.org

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Read this PDF regarding Helene recovery and Milton preparation:

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Click the PDF below for a preparation guideline specific to Helene:

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Storm Update from Duke Energy Florida:

• Duke Energy Florida is readying 8,000 workers to respond to Tropical Storm Helene.
• As the storm approaches, these skilled individuals are being strategically placed across the state, enabling them to respond as quickly as possible to widespread power outages that are expected as a result of strong winds and heavy rainfall.
• The company is also sending crews from Duke Energy’s Midwest operations in Kentucky, Ohio and Indiana.
• Responders include power line technicians, vegetation workers, damage assessors and support personnel.
• Trucks will begin arriving at Tropicana Field, St. Petersburg College Tarpon Springs, The Villages and Suwannee Valley Farmer's Market later this afternoon.
• Staging locations are positioned along the outside of Helene’s projected path, but as close to the impacted areas as possible.
• Crews are prepared to start power restoration as soon as conditions are safe. 
• As soon as conditions allow, our dedicated team will be on the ground, carefully assessing the damage and working tirelessly to get the lights back on for our customers. 
• In the meantime, our customers should continue to prepare for this rapidly moving storm and remain vigilant in the days ahead. 

Customer Safety Reminders 

Duke Energy Florida urges its more than 2 million customers to consider the following safety tips:  

• Do not walk, swim or drive through floodwaters. 
• If rising water threatens your home or business – or if you evacuate due to flooding – turn off your power at the circuit breaker panel or fuse box. 
• Never replace a fuse or touch a circuit breaker with wet hands or while standing on a wet or damp surface. 
• Stay away from power lines that have fallen or are sagging. Consider all lines energized as well as trees or limbs in contact with lines. Report all power line hazards to Duke Energy at 800.228.8485 or contact your local emergency services department or agency. 
• If a power line falls across a car that you are in, stay in the car. If you MUST get out of the car due to a fire or other immediate life-threatening situation, do your best to jump clear of the car and land on both feet. Be sure that no part of your body is touching the car when your feet touch the ground. 
• Electric current passes easily through water, so stay away from downed power lines and electrical wires. Do not drive over – and do not stand near – downed power lines. Downed lines will be hard to see in the rain and can potentially be hidden in standing water. If you encounter large pools of standing water, stop, back up and choose another path. 
• For more safety tips, please visit duke-energy.com/StormTips.  

Outage Reporting 

• To report a power outage, text OUT to 57801, call 800.228.8485 or report online or through the mobile app.

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Resources From the American Red Cross: https://www.redcross.org/get-help/how-to-prepare-for-emergencies/types-of-emergencies.html

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Community Legal Services:

• FEMA Applications and Appeals: Assisting individuals with initial applications and appealing denied claims to ensure they receive the aid they are entitled to.
• Insurance Claims: Guiding clients through the process of filing and negotiating insurance claims related to property damage, business interruption, and personal injury.
• Housing Stability: Addressing eviction and foreclosure prevention, landlord-tenant disputes, and habitability issues in disaster-affected areas.
• Consumer Protection: Helping to resolve issues related to contractor fraud, price gouging, and other unfair business practices that can arise during recovery.

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