Hurricane Season

June 1st, marks the start of the 2021 Atlantic Hurricane Season and now, is the time to get ready. Reduce your stress during an emergency by having your family’s plan in place, in advance. A hurricane can cause major disruptions to your family, the power grid and the supply chain. The best way to minimize these and many other problems, is to be prepared. Sit down with your family and determine essentials, such as, how much water your family needs, where you will go if you need to evacuate and how you will stay in contact with loved ones. You will also need to be able to be self-sufficient for at least 7 days after a storm hits our area. To help you prepare, here are some tips from the Florida Department of Health:

Your emergency plan should include: a) All members of your household, b) Special medical conditions, c) When and where to evacuate, d) Special transportation needs, e) Emergency meeting place, f) An out-of-town contact who everyone can call to stay in touch, and g) Pet plan.

Gather emergency supplies: a) A gallon of water per person for 7 days, b) Non-perishable foods such as canned meat, fish, veggies, fruits and nuts, c) Can opener, disposable plates and utensils and d) Matches and cooking gel.

Stock up on medical needs: a) 30 day supply of prescription medications from your doctor, b) Over the counter pain reliever, antacids, anti-diarrhea medicine and children’s medicine, c) List of all medications and essential medical devices, d) Physician contact number and e) Blood types and allergies for all household members.Assemble a first-aid kit with sterile bandages, cleansing agent, safety pins, gauze pads, scissors, sewing needle, moist towelettes and tape. Collect essential data in a waterproof container: a) Contact information for property insurer, official emergency agencies, family and friends, b) Credit card and bank information, c) Portable computer storage device with electronic copies of mortgage, home deed, car title, etc. d) Instructions for shutting off utilities and e) Pet health records. List your major home belongings and back it up with photos!

For more information, the City of Hollywood’s 2021 Hurricane Preparedness Guide, shelter information and more, please visit the City’s website at: www.HollywoodFL.org/Hurricane.