Storm Center

Before a Hurricane Threatens

• Stay Alert: Closely monitor storm updates and emergency reports on your local radio and broadcast stations. Remain calm.
• Inventory Supplies: Double-check your household emergency kits. Stock a one-week supply of non-perishable food and water, as store shelves empty quickly once a watch is active.
• Fuel & Cash: Fill your vehicles completely with gasoline. Withdraw an emergency
  supply of cash, as ATMs will likely lose power and be unavailable during and after the storm.
• Secure Watercraft: Anchor small boats securely or transport them to designated safe areas.
• Shelter Prep: Prepare your evacuation materials and review what to bring versus what to leave behind.

• Mobile Homes: Inspect your vehicle/structure tie-downs and leave immediately.
• Secure External Items: Bring indoors or securely anchor anything that could be swept away by wind (e.g., garbage cans, garden tools, lawn furniture, signs, awnings, toys). Loose items become deadly missiles in hurricane-force winds.
• Board Up: Securely fasten large windows with high-quality lumber and strong outside bracing. Makeshift boarding can cause more structural damage than no boarding at all.
• Trailer Boats: Fill trailer-mounted boats with water, lash them securely to the trailer, and use ground or house tie-downs to anchor the trailer frame.
• Flee Low-Lying Areas: Move away from beaches and coastal areas vulnerable to
  high seas or storm surges. If your evacuation route crosses roads prone to flooding, leave early to avoid becoming marooned.
• Pool Care: Lower your swimming pool's water level to accommodate heavy rainfall, and add extra chlorine to prevent bacterial contamination.

Sheltering at Home Information

• Shelter Indoors: Stay inside and away from all windows, skylights, and glass doors. Keep yourself calm.
• Maintain Power & Info: Keep your television or radio continuously tuned to local broadcast stations for emergency alerts.
• Emergency Water: Sterilize your bathtubs and fill all available large containers with a full week's supply of clean water.
• Floodwater Danger: Do not walk, swim, or drive through floodwater under any circumstances. Remember, Turn Around! Don't Drown!
• The Storm Eye: If the center ("eye") of the hurricane passes directly over you, winds will temporarily drop to a lull lasting anywhere from a few minutes to over half an hour. Stay in a safe place. Only make critical emergency property repairs if absolutely necessary during this lull. Be prepared for the wind to return suddenly from the opposite direction with even greater force.

Evacuation Information

When a storm threatens, local and state officials analyze forecasts from the National Hurricane Center to issue orders. Evacuation orders may come from local officials and/or the Governor. Evacuation orders are mandatory—nobody saves a house by staying in it.

If you must evacuate:

• Turn off your main electrical switch, main water valve, and all gas valves before exiting your home.
• Take critical documents with you, focusing on insurance policies and home ownership records.
• Pack survival supplies, ideally using large, durable plastic garbage bags for transport.
• Pack essential personal medications and specialty household items.
• Bring warm, protective clothing.
• Be highly alert for tornadoes, which are frequently spawned by hurricanes.
• Do not bring pets, weapons, or alcoholic beverages to Red Cross shelters.

Monroe County Special Needs Registry

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In accordance with Florida Statute 252.355, residential customers with physical, mental, cognitive, or sensory disabilities can access the Special Needs Registry. This system assists Monroe County Emergency Management staff in identifying and helping residents who require specialized care during sheltering and evacuations.
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How to Register: Call (305) 292-4591 or sign up online at Monroe County Emergency Management. Registration must be completed by May 31st to ensure your needs are fully accounted for before hurricane season begins.

1. Stay Safe
   
   • Delay Re-entry: If you evacuated, do not return to your neighborhood until local authorities give formal authorization. Wait for officials to explicitly state that it is
     safe before going back home. Stay completely out of disaster areas unless you are uniquely qualified to provide emergency assistance.
   • Avoid Downed Lines: Never touch loose, sagging, or dangling utility wires, lines, or poles. They can carry live currents and electrocute you.
   • Avoid Floodwaters: Do not touch or wade through standing floodwaters. They may contain raw sewage, harmful bacteria, and toxic chemicals that can make you severely ill.
   • Reduce Fire Risk: If the power is out, use flashlights or battery-powered lanterns instead of candles to minimize fire hazards in damaged structures.
   • Prevent Carbon Monoxide Poisoning: Gasoline, propane, natural gas, or charcoal- burning devices (such as portable generators) should never be used inside a
     home, basement, garage, tent, or camper—or even outside near an open window. Carbon monoxide cannot be seen or smelled, but it can kill you fast. If you start to feel sick, dizzy, or weak, get to fresh air right away—do not delay.
   • Travel Cautiously: Walk and drive with extreme care. Coastal roads can have sub-surface soil washed out from under the pavement, causing the road to collapse
     unexpectedly under the weight of a vehicle.
2. Stay Healthy
   • Food Safety: Guard closely against spoiled food caused by power outages. When in doubt, throw it out! Discard any food that got wet or remained warm.
   • Medication Safety: Ask your healthcare provider or doctor about the safety and shelf-life of refrigerated medicines that lost power.
   • Water Safety: Hurricanes and flooding can make drinking water unsafe by compromising local infrastructure. Do not consume or use tap water until authorities officially declare it safe. Continuously monitor your local health department for updates on drinking water safety.
3. Cleanup Safely
   • Wear Protective Gear: Always wear appropriate personal protective equipment, including heavy duty work gloves, safety goggles, and thick boots.
   • Disinfect: Clean and thoroughly disinfect everything in your home that got wet or came into contact with moisture.
   • Work in Teams: When handling or cleaning heavy storm debris, always work with a partner.
   • Equipment Safety: Make sure you have proper training and experience before operating heavy equipment, such as chainsaws.
   • Avoid Overexertion: Heart attacks are a leading cause of death after a hurricane. Cleaning up is a massive job; be deeply mindful of overworking. Take regular breaks, pace yourself, and take care of your physical body.
4. Take Care of Yourself
   • Acknowledge Your Feelings: It is completely normal to experience a lot of difficult feelings, high stress, or severe anxiety following a disaster.
   • Healthy Habits: Eat healthy food and get enough sleep whenever possible to help your body naturally manage and process stress.
   • Disaster Distress Helpline: If you need someone to talk to, you can contact the helpline for free, confidential support. Call or text 1-800-985-5990.
   • Seek Support: Request necessary medical attention at active clinics. Call your local Red Cross if you have urgent, immediate needs for food, shelter, clothing, or crisis counseling.
   • Assess Property Damage: Notify your insurance representatives of property damage, and thoroughly document all issues with photos or video. Make
     immediate, temporary repairs to protect your home from further weather exposure or looting. Report broken water or sewer mains directly to the local water department.

Relief agencies will deploy to help, but you must be prepared to be entirely self- sufficient immediately following a strike. Below is the framework curated by FloridaDisaster.org to guide your preparation. Secure your items in water-proof containers where applicable.

Download the Disaster Supply Kit Checklist Below:

• National Hurricane Center
• Ready.gov Federal Preparedness
• Florida Division of Emergency Management
• Downloadable Supply Kit Resource
• Monroe County Special Needs Registry
• Storm Center Video Playlist