Citizens Urged to Prepare as Hurricane Irma Approaches Florida
As Hurricane Irma approaches Florida with sustained winds of more than 175 miles per hour, Leon County Government and the City of Tallahassee remind citizens, agencies and organizations to be prepared and resilient. With southern Florida in the five-day error cone, now is the time to gather your disaster supplies, check your emergency plans and get the resources you need to stay informed.
While the path for Hurricane Irma remains uncertain, use the following information to keep you and your family safe.
Stay Informed
Hurricane Irma is a slow-moving, powerful storm. To stay up-to-date on Leon County and the City of Tallahassee’s preparedness actions, such as sand bag locations, shelter openings and preparedness tips, you have the following resources:
• Download the Leon County Citizens Connect mobile application - Completely redesigned, the Citizens Connect mobile app puts timely emergency notifications at your fingertips through push notifications on your smartphone or other device. Be the first to know about shelter locations, road closures and service changes by downloading the application on the Apple and Google Play stores.• Visit the Leon County Emergency Information Portal - Hosting the same information as the Citizens Connect app, the Emergency Information Portal can be accessed on a desktop or a mobile browser by visiting www.LeonCountyFL.gov/EI .• Visit Talgov.com – The City’s website is a key resource for community response information, as well as details about City services.• Listen to 88.9 WFSU-FM - Citizens can tune in to 88.9 FM for the most up-to-date information from local public safety officials. Featuring to-the-minute reporting, WFSU, Leon County and the City of Tallahassee remain committed to getting information out on the radio as soon as possible.• Call Big Bend 2-1-1 - If you need community information, services and support any day of the year, Big Bend 2-1-1 is reachable by dialing either 2-1-1 or (850) 617-6333.• Call (850) 606-3700 with questions - Leon County Emergency Management staff is available to answer questions from what you should prepare, act and recover.
Sandbag Locations
On Wednesday, Sept. 6, beginning at 10 a.m., the County and City will make sandbags available to the public at the following locations:
• Tekesta Park, at Tekesta Drive and Deer Lake Road in Killearn Lakes
• Apalachee Regional Park (Landfill), 7550 Apalachee Parkway
• J. Lee Vause, 6024 Old Bainbridge Road
• At the intersection of Oak Ridge at Ranchero roads
• Jack McLean Community Center, 700 Paul Russell Road
• Winthrop Park, 1601 Mitchell Avenue
• James Messer Sports Complex, 2830 Jackson Bluff Road
• Lawrence-Gregory Community Center, 1115 Dade Street
These locations will not be staffed, and residents will need to bring their own shovel. Sand, bags and ties will be available for public use. Residents are asked to take no more than 15 bags so as to allow others to prepare. Staff will monitor the sites to replenish as needed.
Electric Utilities
To prepare for the impending storm, City departments, including the Tallahassee Police Department, Tallahassee Fire Department and Electric Utility, are making arrangements to ensure resources are available and in place to respond to issues as they develop. City vehicles and equipment have been fueled and checked for essential supplies, and contact is being made with mutual aid partners, should their assistance be required.
Utility customers are encouraged to update their contact information, ensuring that their phone numbers and email addresses are current. Should the storm hit the Capital City, important response and recovery messages will be sent out via these avenues. Contact information can be updated online at Talgov.com/update.
Be Prepared
Plan now because when disaster strikes it is too late to prepare. Leon County and the City of Tallahassee encourage citizens to put disaster supplies in a waterproof and durable five-gallon bucket. Keep these essential items near an exit door in your home or in your vehicle.
Some important items include a flashlight, medications, nonperishable food and water. You can see a full list of preparedness items at www.HaveAHurricanePlan.com/guide.pdf . The 2017 Disaster Survival Guide can also be picked up at any Leon County public library or City of Tallahassee community center.
Once you and your family have a hurricane preparedness plan in place, check on your neighbors to ensure that they have one, too. Neighborhoods that prepare together create strong support networks that are vital to a speedy recovery. In the event of a major disaster, your neighbors will be your closest resource and support.
Also, while Leon County is not under any watch or warning at this time, it is important to know the difference between a hurricane watch and a hurricane warning. A hurricane watch is an announcement that hurricane conditions (sustained winds of 74 miles per hour or higher) are possible within a specified area. Watches are generally issued 48 hours in advance of a hurricane winds. A warning is that conditions are expected, and these are issued 36 hours in advance.
Prepare your home for strong winds by visually inspecting trees on your property for poor health and reduce the risk to your home by trimming hanging limbs. If you have any questions about your tree's health, contact a Certified Arborist to assist you.
The Capital Area Chapter of the American Red Cross is offering training this week for citizens interested in volunteering should a shelter activation be required. Learn more by calling 878-6080. Volunteer applications are available at RedCross.org.
Please prepare now before any watches or warnings are issued for Leon County. If you have any questions about how best to prepare, please call Leon County Emergency Management at (850) 606-3700.
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