Hurricane Preparedness + Back to School Tips with PCPD

By Cierra Craft

Last month, Plant City Police Department’s Public Information Officer Captain Alfred Van Duyne provided the community with some tips for summer safety. As we navigate the July/August issue, PCPD would like to highlight Hurricane Preparedness as most tropical activity occurs between mid-August and mid-October.

“If you haven’t already, begin gathering the essentials to a Hurricane Preparedness Kit, such as medications, water, First Aid essentially, nonperishable foods, batteries and flashlights, pet supplies, and waterproof storage for important documents such as wills, passports, and other personal documents,” said Capt. Van Duyne. “It’s better to plan ahead and have these items on hand, rather than wait until the storm’s on its way and items are flying off the shelves.”

Additionally, Plant City residents should know their evacuation routes and develop an evacuation plan, purchase a generator, and fuel up vehicles in the days before a storm hits. If you haven’t already, review and update your insurance policies for your home, vehicles, boats, and RVs. It’s also important to watch the Tropics and learn about the alerts: A Hurricane Watch means hurricane conditions are possible for an area, whereas a Hurricane Warning is more serious, meaning hurricane conditions are expected for the area.

Plant City kids go back to school on August 10, Plant City Police Department has tips for Back-to-School safety:

“If you are behind a school bus or next to the bus, you must stop for the bus’s flashing lights and arm and remain stopped until the equipment is off and the bus starts moving,” said Capt. Van Duyne. “You do not have to stop for a bus if there is a barrier, such as raised or grass median, between the lanes of traffic.”

School buses are required to stop at train crossings, coming to a complete stop, open their door and look down the track to ensure a train is not coming. Once you see school buses back on the road, remember that buses must stop. Capt. Van Duyne says there is a slight increase in crashes in Tampa Bay each year around August and September until people remember they have to share the road with buses. It is essential you must maintain a safe following distance.

Be cognizant of speeding and cell phone use in a school zone. School zones within the area are clearly marked with signage and flashing lights. Van Duyne says unlike other provisions of the cell phone law, cell phone use within a school zone in a handheld manner is strictly prohibited within a school zone.

When school is in session, be mindful of the crossing guards and obey the crossing guard’s instructions in order to ensure all child pedestrians are safe. If citizens should witness drivers violating crossing guard’s instructions, please call the non-emergency number at 813-7579200 and report a description of the vehicle. Officers can visit the school the following days and monitor traffic and ticket violators.