Community Partners Remind Residents to
Prepare for Hurricane Season
Hurricane Season officially begins on June 1, and Leon County, City of Tallahassee and other local partners remind the public to be prepared for the possibility of an active hurricane season this year. The annual 2020 Disaster Survival Guide can be found at www.HaveAHurricanePlan.com.
“Last year, we were fortunate that Hurricane Dorian, a slow-moving, devastating storm that literally reshaped the Bahamas, spared our community,” said Leon County Chairman Bryan Desloge. “While our community has been tested like never before between past storms and the current public health emergency, now is the time to stay resilient and be prepared.”
Although COVID-19 continues to impact our community, officials remind the public that now, more than ever, it is important to be prepared for disasters by having a plan ahead of time should individuals be directed to stay home or seek shelter elsewhere.
“When a hurricane threatens our community, it is an all-hands event for the City of Tallahassee. From providing power to operating traffic lights to clearing roads, the City is key for maintaining needed services to residents before, during and after a disaster. Should a storm head our way, City employees will work from the first warning through the final stages of recovery to ensure this community is up and running,” Tallahassee Mayor John Dailey said. “Due to COVID-19, new protocols are in place to protect the health of employees, mutual aid and residents. I’m proud of our efforts and equally proud of how residents are taking steps to learn through our PREP program and prepare. I urge everyone to remain vigilant and stay prepared throughout hurricane season.”
To help the community plan and prepare this year, the County and City encourage residents to purchase necessary supplies, like non-perishable food, batteries, flashlights and more during Florida’s Disaster Preparedness Sales Tax Holiday, which began on May 29 and ends on June 4. Due to COVID-19, residents should have additional items on hand, such as cloth face masks for family members, soap, hand sanitizer and gloves to prevent the coronavirus from spreading.
“We need the public to be All In with us by following guidance from local officials as we enter hurricane season,” said Sheriff Walt McNeil. “I encourage everyone to put in their disaster bucket copies of important documents, like insurance policies, as well as pandemic preparedness items in case you or a family member gets sick.”
To help equip our area’s most vulnerable populations with necessary supplies, the County and City have partnered with Elder Care Services and Ability 1st to provide information and resources on hurricane preparedness, as well as distribute 200 buckets. The buckets and hurricane preparedness supplies were donated by capital area emergency management partners, including the City of Tallahassee, Leon County Government, Ability 1st, City of Tallahassee Fire Department, AARP and the American Red Cross.
Despite the pandemic, local leaders urge residents to not lose site of the importance of preparing for an active hurricane season.
“Predictions of an active hurricane season, while we are already under a state of emergency due to COVID 19, make our collective community preparations even more critical,” said County Administrator Vince Long. “While our ongoing emergency management efforts are focused on protecting our community from both threats, now is the time for individuals to focus on their family hurricane preparedness.”
“As the largest provider of municipal services in the region, the City’s 3,000+ strong workforce takes its charge to heart. In the midst of COVID-19, we are prepared with modified response and recovery plans to protect public health while meeting the needs of the community,” City Manager Reese Goad said. “The resilience of our citizens, neighborhoods and partners, further strengthen our community’s ability to quickly recover from an emergency. Please prepare.”
During a disaster, emergency information can be found on Leon County's Emergency Information Portal at www.LeonCountyFL.gov/EIP or the City of Tallahassee’s website at www.Talgov.com/Emergency. If you are working on your hurricane plan and need some guidance, please visit www.HaveAHurricanePlan.com.
For hurricane preparedness tips throughout the season, be sure to follow Leon County’s new hurricane preparedness mascot, Billy The Bucket, on Twitter at @RealBillyBucket.
You can monitor local weather conditions by following Leon County Government at LeonCounty.
You can receive vital City service updates including power restoration, road clearing and public safety updates from police and fire, direct from the City of Tallahassee on Twitter and Facebook @CityofTLH.
For more information, please contact Mathieu Cavell, Leon County Community & Media Relations, at (850) 606-5300 / cmr@LeonCountyFL.gov or Alison Faris, Director of Communications, City of Tallahassee, at (850) 891-8533 / Alison.Faris@talgov.com.
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