Leon County Urges Residents to Prepare for 2023 Hurricane Season
June 1 marks the start of the Atlantic hurricane season, and Leon County Government encourages residents to prepare themselves, their homes, and their neighborhoods for disasters.
The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) has predicted that the 2023 Atlantic Hurricane Season will be a near-normal season with an estimated 14 named storms, seven hurricanes, and three major hurricanes. This makes it all the more important for residents to be ready.
Leon County urges all residents to take the necessary steps to prepare for the 2023 Atlantic Hurricane Season. This includes creating an emergency kit, developing a family communication plan, and staying informed about the latest developments and updates through the County’s Emergency Information Portal at LeonCountyFL.gov/ei.
“The preparation of our citizens, neighborhoods, and community partners is vital to the resilience of our community,” said Leon County Commission Chairman Nick Maddox. “Now is the time to prepare before disaster strikes.”
Residents can visit LeonReady.com, an online hub of disaster resources to help you, your family and your neighborhood prepare for and respond to disasters. County residents can prepare by doing the following on LeonReady.com:
- Download the 2023 Leon County Disaster Survival Guide to get the critical information you need to be prepared before, during and after a disaster.
- Sign up for the Neighborhood Readiness Trainings hosted by County Emergency Management experts for unincorporated County neighborhoods. To date, more than 1,000 residents have been trained in disaster resilience through the County’s Neighborhood Readiness Training program.
- Learn how to Build Your Bucket with a complete list of supplies needed to fill your durable five-gallon, waterproof bucket.
- Sign up for Leon Alerts to receive time-sensitive emergency messages to your email or phone related to incidents, such as severe weather and evacuations.
- Download the Citizens Connect App, Leon County’s best source for emergency news and alerts.
To further increase citizens’ readiness for the season, Leon County has unveiled and distributed its 2023 Disaster Survival Guide. Printed copies of the guide are available at all County and City of Tallahassee facilities along with the American Red Cross, 1115 Easterwood Drive. An online version can be found at LeonReady.com.
“Leon County is dedicated to building disaster resilience through cutting-edge technology, in-person trainings, and so much more,” said Leon County Administrator Vincent S. Long. “This commitment to ensuring that our community is prepared has led to Leon County being named the nation's first #HurricaneStrong community by FEMA and the Federal Alliance for Safe Homes.”
Later this month, the County will host the Disaster Resilience Edition of the Citizen Engagement Series on Thursday, June 22, at 6 p.m. at the Public Safety Complex, 911 Easterwood Drive. The event will include hands-on activities and demonstrations for attendees, placing critical disaster preparedness information front of mind. Dinner and refreshments will be provided. Citizens can register for this free event at LeonCountyFL.gov/CES.
“As the 2023 Atlantic hurricane season approaches, the County urges everyone to prepare now before it's too late,” said Leon County Emergency Management Director Kevin Peters. “We all play a role in disaster preparedness.”
For more information on how to prepare for hurricanes and other disasters, please visit LeonReady.com.
For more information, contact Kevin Peters, Leon County Emergency Management, at (850) 606-3700 / PetersK@LeonCountyFL.gov, or contact Mathieu Cavell, Leon County Community and Media Relations, at (850) 606-5300 / CMR@LeonCountyFL.gov.
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