Florida Division of Emergency management Officials are urging residents and visitors to the Sunshine State to prepare and GET A Plan, particularly in light of the above-average Atlantic Hurricane Season that is being predicted by forecasters.
The National Oceanic & Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) said last week there is a 70 percent probability that there would be:
- 14 to 23 Named Storms, with top winds of 39 mph or higher; including,
- 8 to 14 Hurricanes, with winds of 74 mph or higher, and of which
- 3 to 7 could be Major Hurricanes (Category 3,4 or 5; winds of at least 111 mph).
According to NOAA, the outlook ranges exceed the seasonal average of 11 named storms, six hurricanes and two major hurricanes.
David Halstead, Director of the Florida Division of Emergency Management said that, “While we respect those that forecast these numbers, it is important that we remind our residents and visitors that it only takes one storm to cause loss of lives and devastating property damage. As the 2010 Hurricane Season begins, we want everyone to have a plan for where they will go, what they will bring and what route they will travel, should evacuation orders be issued.”
This year, the Division of Emergency Management has partnered with the Federal Alliance for Safe Homes (FLASH) in their Great Hurricane Blowout family preparedness campaign. The Blowout promotes a culture of hurricane-based preparedness in our state through fresh outreach methods. The final result of the program will help Floridians accomplish several objectives, including:
- Making a family plan
- Making a disaster supply kit
- Understanding safe cooking and sanitary practices without county and municipal utility services
- Passing time without electricity or the family’s ability to safely leave its home
- Mitigating the effects of storm damage on residences
- Training with various disaster-related non-profit organizations
Today, the State Emergency Response Team will “Dine in the Dark,” in an effort to practice for an emergency power outage. Emergency management officials will make sandwiches and share their favorite “power-free recipes” in the State Emergency Operations Center. For information on how you can be a part of the Great Hurricane Blowout, please visit: www.GreatHurricaneBlowout.org
The Atlantic Hurricane Season runs from June 1 through November 30. For more information on the Florida Division of Emergency Management and to GET A PLAN!, please visit: www.FloridaDisaster.org. Follow us on Twitter at www.Twitter.com/flsertinfo or join our blog at: http://flsertinfo.blogspot.com/.
