PLANNING FOR AN ACTIVE HURRICANE SEASON

BY KELLY ODEN

he 2022 Atlantic hurricane season begins June 1 and experts are predicting a 65 percent chance for abovenormal activity. The National Hurricane Center is forecasting 14 to 21 named storms, of which six to 19 could reach hurricane status. The forecast also says that three to 6 of those hurricanes could become major hurricanes with wind speeds of 74 mph or higher. Those of us who call the Gulf Coast home likely know the importance of preparing our homes and our lives for hurricane season (although reminders can never hurt!), but with the influx of new residents in recent years, we felt it was a good time to review some basic hurricane preparedness tips for the 2022 season. We talked with Escambia County Emergency Manager Travis Tompkins to learn more about how residents can prepare now to stay safe in the event of a hurricane or major storm in the future.

Tompkins emphasized that weather awareness is key going into hurricane season. “As soon as that cone of uncertainty shows up in the Gulf, we all have to be paying attention to what that storm is going to do and where it could be landing,” he said. “Weather awareness is the number one thing. As soon as you see that cone in the Gulf, that is when you need to start preparing.”

Tompkins explained that Escambia County Emergency Management is encouraging residents to focus on three major points in their hurricane planning: Know Your Zone, Know Your Home and Know Your Plan.

KNOW YOUR ZONE

Evacuation zones are in place to protect citizens from deadly storm surges, Tompkins explained. It’s important to remember that each storm system is different and a smaller hurricane could potentially have a larger storm surge impact than that of a larger one. Tompkins urges all residents to heed evacuation orders for their safety. “We want to make sure that people understand that you run from the water and then you hide from the wind,” he said. “That storm surge is the main thing that people don’t understand. They just think, ‘Well, we are going to have this hurricane come in and the wind is going to blow really hard and we are going to get a lot of rain.’ But that’s not what kills people. It’s the storm surge that kills people. So, when we ask for people to evacuate, we’re serious about that. The evacuation level ‘A’, for instance, that surge can get up to seven feet high. All homes that are not prepared for that and people that didn’t evacuate don’t always understand that we can’t come and get them until that storm surge has receded.”

Escambia County’s evacuation zones run from A to E, with E having the highest potential for dangerous surge levels of up to 20 above ground level. Residents can visit myescambia. com/knowyourzone to enter their address and find their evacuation zone. Even if you think you know your zone, it’s important to look it up every year because zones do change.

KNOW YOUR HOME

As a homeowner, you know your home best. Did your home receive damage in previous storms? What are its weak spots?

Do you have storm shutters? Are they properly cut and secured? “Shutters are more important than people realize because your standard glass windows are not that strong,” Tompkins said. “What can happen is that the storm busts through your windows and that continued wind can start to apply pressure on the roof and start to lift it up. That’s how people lose their roofs on their houses— when their windows blow out. Having those windows covered properly is really important.”

Tompkins also says homes built before 2002 (when stronger building codes were put in place) and mobile homes are particularly vulnerable to both storm surges and wind damage. Residents living in these types of homes should strongly consider leaving for an approaching storm. Officials also suggest homeowners trim large trees well before the start of hurricane season to prevent damage from broken branches.

KNOW YOUR PLAN

Are you going to evacuate? If so, where will you go? What route will you take? Be sure to check evacuation routes with local media and emergency management. If you need to evacuate, your best option is to stay with family or friends who live outside the evacuation zone. Be sure to have an evacuation route and an alternative route planned out in advance. Tompkins urges that while emergency shelters are in place during a storm, these are last resort shelters that offer safety from the storm with very few amenities or creature comforts. It’s also important to remember that you don’t necessarily have to travel hundreds of miles to get to safety—just far enough from the evacuation zones. If you have pets, you should also have a plan for them because most emergency shelters do not accept pets. In addition, FEMA offers a Family Emergency Communication Plan as a downloadable form. This is an excellent way to organize all of your important information, contacts, policy numbers and more. Find it online at ready.gov/sites/ default/files/2021-04/ family-emergencycommunication-plan.pdf.

IF YOU STAY

If you live in a house and a zone that can withstand the high winds and rising waters, you might decide to ride out the storm at home. Tompkins has a few suggestions for those who choose to stay. First, secure anything in the yard that can be picked up by a strong wind—potted plants, garbage bins or patio furniture. These objects can easily become projectiles that can cause more damage to homes and property. Since the first 72 hours are on you, be sure to stock up on all necessary supplies. Fill your gas tanks early and have extra supplies of gas and/or propane for generators. Stock up on water, non-perishable food and first aid supplies to last at least three to five days.

IF YOU EVACUATE

If you heeded the warnings and decided to evacuate, be sure to wait until local authorities give it the all-clear to return. The roads need to be cleared of debris, electrical wires and high water before they are safe to travel on. Do not attempt to drive through any moving or high rising water. Strong winds can also knock down live electric wires. Do not attempt to cross over the wires, move the wires, or remove tree branches off the wires.

Once you are home, assess your damage and contact your insurance company as soon as possible. If necessary, get a claim filed with FEMA as well. The Escambia County Emergency Management Department has several ways citizens can stay on top of approaching storm news. Visit myescambia.com/beready for preparation tips and approaching storm information. You can also find Emergency Management on Facebook and Twitter for up-to-date information before, during and after a tropical storm or hurricane.

Hurricane Preparedness

ADDITIONAL RESOURCES

Local

cityofpensacola.com/1026/ Flooding-and-HurricanePreparedness cityofpensacola.com/722/ Emergency-Preparedness myescambia.com/beready

State and National

floridadisaster.org/ mitigation/sfmp/index.htm nhc.noaa.gov/HAW2/ english/intro.shtml community.fema.gov/ hazard/hurricane-en_us/ be-smart?lang=en_US ready.gov/hurricanes redcross.org nhc.noaa.gov