Hurricane Preparation
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36 • HURRICANE PREPARATION GUIDE • 2023 Staff Report Local emergency management directors advise people to have a plan as early as the beginning of hurricane season, which is June 1. Residents should not wait until one or two days before the storm to decide. Know what you're going to do if you have to evacuate or stay home. Don't wait until the storm is coming through. Anyone who is under an evacuation order should leave their homes. Who else should evacuate? Officials recommend evacua- tion for people who live outside evacuation zones but are in mobile homes, manufactured homes, recreational vehicles or boats. Those who live in older homes that are unable to withstand hurricane-force winds also should evacuate. In most cases homes built after 2002 and have hurricane shutters are relatively safe, Sarasota County Emergency Management Director Ed McCrane has said. It's not just the windows; the garage doors and front entry doors need to be hardened or protected by shutters. Anyone who needs help getting to a special needs or regu- lar evacuation center must register to be provided transpor- tation. Check your county's emergency management website for more information. SHELTER IN PLACE Services provided at area evacuation centers are limited, so be sure to have a backup plan. Because Charlotte County has low elevation, the Ameri- can Red Cross will not open any shelters in the county. That means general population and special needs evacuation centers operated by county staff fill up quickly. During Hur- ricane Irma many Charlotte County residents sought shelter in Sarasota County, which had more options. Evacuation centers are a last resort, and you need to bring your own supplies, McCrane said. Residents should note that the evacuation centers don't have blankets, pillows or hot meals like they might find in a Red Cross shelter. McCrane says people wanting to stay in the area should shelter with friends or family who have newer houses built to withstand hurricane-force winds. Those riding out the storm at their own residences should make sure their homes are as secure as possible. They should have a safe room in the home in case things go bad, McCrane said. Pick out a safe room like a closet or a bathroom, a bedroom with very few windows. LEAVE THE AREA Those leaving town should make arrangements ahead of time and know where they are going. Gas up the car and bring plenty of cash. Consider that evacuation routes can get clogged with bumper-to-bumper traffic and gas can be difficult to find, especially if you wait until the last minute. Also note that hotels outside the projected path of the hurricane fill up quickly. Officials say they learn lessons from each hurricane. Here's one: It's best to leave early because gas stations run out of fuel. If you are going to evacuate, do it earlier than you would normally think to do so. That prevents getting stranded. SHOULD I STAY OR GO? Things to consider during hurricane season FILE PHOTO Consider that evacuation routes can get clogged with bumper-to- bumper traffic and gas can be difficult to find, especially if you wait until the last minute. Always check with the news media as well as county emer- gency management online pages to determine which evacua- tion centers are open during an emergency. Depending on the county, they may be open at different times. CHARLOTTE COUNTY • Kingsway Elementary School, 23300 Quasar Blvd., Port Charlotte. • Liberty Elementary school, 370 Atwater St., Port Charlotte. • Neil Armstrong Elementary School, 22100 Breezeswept Ave., Port Charlotte. • Harold Avenue Regional Park Recreation Center, 23400 Harold Ave., Port Charlotte People with special needs can register by going to https:// www.charlottecountyfl.gov/departments/public-safety/emer- gency-management/ or by calling 941-833-4000. The public can follow Charlotte County Emergency Man- agement's important emergency information at charlotte- countyfl.gov, facebook.com/oemcharlottecounty and twitter. com/ccoem. NORTH PORT • Atwater Elementary School,4701 Huntsville Ave., North Port • Heron Creek Middle School,6501 W. Price Blvd., North Port • North Port High School, 6400 W. Price Blvd., North Port • Woodland Middle School, 2700 Panacea Blvd., North Port Contact Sarasota County Emergency Management at scgov. net or by calling the Sarasota County Contact Center at 941- 861-5000. SARASOTA All evacuation centers allow pets (dogs and cats, other ar- rangements must be made for other animals.) • Booker High School 3201 N. Orange Ave., Sarasota • Brookside Middle School 3636 S. Shade Ave., Sarasota • Fruitville Elementary School, 601 Honore Ave., Sarasota • Gulf Gate Elementary School 6500 S. Lockwood Ridge Road, Sarasota • Phillippi Shores Elementary 4747 S. Tamiami Trail, Sarasota • Riverview High School 1 Ram Way, Sarasota • Southside Elementary School 1901 Webber St., Sarasota • Taylor Ranch Elementary School, 2500 Taylor Ranch Trail, Venice There are no county-authorized emergency shelters within the Venice city limits. Sarasota County Emergency Management can be reached via www.scgov.net or by calling the Sarasota County Contact Center at 941-861-5000. DESOTO COUNTY • DeSoto County General Population Shelter: DeSoto County Turner Agri-Civic Center, 2250 N.E. Roan Street, in Arcadia. This is the second year a pet-friendly shelter also will be located at the shelter. • Special Needs Shelter: Applicants must register to use this shelter. South Florida State College, 2251 N.E. Turner Ave., in Arcadia. For more information: desotobocc.com SPECIAL NEEDS Special needs shelters are available for people who need medical assistance that is not available at a public shelter. Only basic medical assistance and monitoring will be avail- able. PLEASE NOTE: • Oxygen will be provided to those persons who require it. • All persons must be accompanied by a caregiver and provide their own bedding, food, water, medications and transfer oxygen devices. • No pets are allowed unless they are service animals. • All service animals must have vaccination records and be caged. You must also provide their food, water, leash and litter box. • Any person with conditions that cannot be cared for in the special needs shelter must be admitted to a hospital. Arrangements should be made via your personal physician before June 1. • The Florida Division of Emergency Management, in coordination with each local emergency management agency in the state, developed a system that enables residents with special needs to register with their local emergency manage- ment agency to receive assistance during a disaster. Visit snr. floridadisaster.org. SHELTERS