WINK Hurricane Guide 2024

HURRICANE GUIDE 2024

HURRICANE CLEAN UPSeparating Your Debris

Debris should be placed curbside, without blocking the roadway or storm drains.

NO PICKUP ZONE

Any debris placed from the sidewalk toward your proper ty will not be picked up.

APPLIANCES & WHITE GOODS

CONSTRUCTION & DEMOLITION DEBRIS

VEGETATIVE DEBRIS

Normal Household Trash

Normal household trash and bagged debris of any kind will not be picked up with disaster debris You should continue to follow your normal garbage removal schedule

Leaves (do not put in bags) * If you have a lot of leaves and small twigs in plastic bags, please set those aside from any brush piles. Logs Plants Tree branches

Building materials

Carpet

Dr ywall

Furniture

Lumber

Mattresses

Plumbing

Air conditioners

Dishwashers

Freezers

Refrigerators

Stoves

Washers, dr yers

Water heaters

* The brush will be ground into mulch, so plastic must be avoided.

DEBRIS SEPARATION

Separate debris into the six categories shown.

DO NOT STACK OR LEAN

Placing debris near or on trees, poles, or other structures makes removal di cult. This includes re hydrants and meters.

ELECTRONICS

Computers

Radios

Stereos

Televisions

Other devices with a cord

HOUSEHOLD HAZARDOUS

WASTE

Check with your local government.

UNSURE WHERE TO PLACE DEBRIS?

If you don’t have a sidewalk, ditch, or utility line in front of your house, place debris at the edge of your proper ty before the curb

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS ABOUT HURRICANE CLEAN UP

What is the di erence between storm-related debris and regular household trash?

Storm debris includes any trees, tree limbs and shrubs that went down in the hurricane. Regular household trash is what you would throw away in a typical week.

When will the storm debris be collected from my curb and what should I do to prepare?

There is no schedule for when storm debris will be collected from your neighborhood, but be assured that it will. Cleanup e orts take time. When will my regular household collections resume?

Regular collections of garbage, recycling and your normal weekly yard waste resume as soon as it is safe for collection crews to do so.

www.charlottecountyfl.gov 941-764-4360

www.colliercountyfl.gov 239-252-2380

PRE PARE YOUR P ROPERTY FOR ST ORM SEASON BEFORE JUNE 1

www.leegov.com/solidwaste 239-533-8000

• Cut back any trees or branches that contact your house, pool cage, shed or other buildings.

• Thin foliage so wind can blow freely through branches and decrease chances the plant will become uprooted.

• Clean your property of any items that could become a projectile during a storm such as old lumber, broken lawn furniture, etc., and place them at the curb on your regular waste collection day.

• Place trimmings at the curb on your regular collection day. Yard waste must be containerized in a separate yard waste container, paper lawn and leaf bag, or bundled. Yard waste in plastic bags will not be collected.

CH A RLOTTE C OUNTY

Containers and bundles cannot weigh more than 40 lbs. each. Limbs cannot be more than 6 feet in length or 10 inches in diameter.

C O L L IE R C OUNTY

Containers and bundles cannot weigh more than 50 lbs. each. Limbs cannot be more than 4 feet in length or 4 inches in diameter. A total of ten 45gallon containers or ten bundles of yard waste may be placed curbside.

Once a storm is named or a hurricane watch / warning is issued:

• Place garbage and recycle carts inside or secure them so they cannot blow or float away due to strong winds or storm surge.

• Do not cut down trees or do any major yard work. Mass cutting produces a burden on the normal collection process.

• Do not begin construction projects that produce debris unless absolutely necessary to protect life and property.

• Secure all debris, and do not place materials of any kind at the curb during a Watch or Warning period.

• Services may be suspended and facilities may close early to prepare for the storm. Residents should monitor local media and their county government websites or social media platforms for information on collection service statuses and any changes to disposal facility operations.

L EE C OUNTY

Containers and bundles cannot weigh more than 50 lbs. each. Limbs cannot be more than 6 feet in length. Up to 50 lbs. of unbundled palm fronds may be placed at the curb. Do not place yard waste in plastic bags.

After the storm has passed:

• Most important – keep storm debris separate from your regular household garbage and recycling.

• Storm debris should be sorted into separate piles for garbage, yard waste, appliances, furniture & other bulky waste, appliances and construction debris as shown in the diagram to the left. Check with your local government regarding set out of household hazardous waste.

• Storm generated debris of any kind that is bagged will not be picked up.

• Pick up will generally be done with a mechanized claw truck so it’s important that you not set debris over buried electric/phone lines, water meters, hydrants or mailboxes. Inspectors will tour each part of the county to determine where collection needs are greatest.

• Be patient. Following a storm, the No. 1 priority is the health and safety of our community and restoration of the county. When collection services resume, place garbage curbside away from storm-related debris on your regular collection service day.

• Debris collection guidance and recovery process updates will be available through local media and on county government websites and social media platforms.

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A MESSAGE FROM MATT DEVITT

WINK NEWS CHIEF METEOROLOGIST

Welcome to the 2024 WINK News Hurricane Guide. Hurricane season is now here, and for the next six months, the WINK Weather Team will constantly monitor for tropical depressions, tropical storms, and hurricanes that could be a potential threat to Southwest Florida.

The 2023 Atlantic hurricane season tied for the 4th most active hurricane season on record with 20 storms and seven hurricanes, three of which became major (category 3+) hurricanes. By comparison, an average year has 14 storms, seven hurricanes, and three major hurricanes.

Last year matched a strong El Niño versus record warm water temperatures. El Niño’s influence in the Tropical Atlantic produced wind shear that normally weakens or rips storms apart. However, water temperatures in 2023 were so warm that they were still able to overpower the influence of El Niño to form 20 storms, though a weaker than normal high-pressure system in the Atlantic steered many storms north and away from Florida and the United States.

Southwest Florida dodged most hurricanes in 2023, but not all the impacts from Hurricane Idalia in late August. Idalia made landfall with as much as 12 feet of storm surge as a Category 3 along the Florida Big Bend. It was the strongest hurricane for that part of the state since 1960, but the name was actually not retired due to its rural landfall and limited destruction. Locally, storm surge reached two to four feet on the “dirty” eastern side of Idalia along our coast and waterways. It’s notable because due to a difference in wind direction and where the water came in from, parts of Charlotte County had more storm surge flooding during Idalia than Hurricane Ian (2022). Overall, Idalia’s impact was more typical of a tropical storm, with wind gusts between 40 and 60 mph and as much as 5 to 9 inches of rain.

For 2024, the WINK Weather Team will continue removing the center line from the forecast cone. Doing so encourages residents to look at more possibilities within the forecast cone, instead of just one fixed point in the middle. After Hurricane Ian, a survey of 1,663 Southwest Florida residents showed 97% support the change of removing the forecast cone’s center line.

The outlook for the 2024 hurricane season is for it to be active, potentially even hyperactive. The strong winter El Niño pattern is projected to flip to a La Niña by the peak of hurricane season. La Niña’s cooler than normal waters in the Eastern Pacific Ocean can alter weather patterns across the world, often lowering wind shear in the Tropical Atlantic Ocean, which can promote both more storms and stronger storms. Another factor pointing to an active season is that water temperatures in the Main Development Region of the Atlantic, which stretches from the Yucatan Peninsula to Africa, are at record warm levels. In fact, in February and March, they were already at water temperatures more typical of June. That means the chances of someone being affected by a storm this year along the Gulf or Atlantic will be higher than normal.

Keep this guide with you and stay vigilant during hurricane season. Prepare now. Don’t wait until a hurricane is on the way to gather supplies and develop a plan for your family.

I’ll be here to calmly guide you through any storms that come our way. Trust WINK, The Weather Authority, to deliver accurate information 24/7 all season long. Let’s have a safe 2024! Anna Nguyen

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HURRICANE GUIDE 2024

12

The 2024 hurricane outlook

6

A message from Matt Devitt

The chief meteorologist for WINK News, The Weather Authority, presents this year’s guide.

10

Prepare now for the season ahead

Now is the time to prepare for a hurricane. The 2024 WINK News Hurricane Guide is your source for storm information.

The first 2024 Atlantic hurricane season outlook from the Colorado State University hurricane research team predicts above-average activity.

16

Terms to know Feeder bands, storm surges, La Niña, and other hazards; learn these terms to stay safe.

18

The Saffir-Simpson Hurricane Scale

How to rate a storm’s intensity.

20

Southwest Florida evacuation zones

A handy map to help you determine the zone you live in and what it means if a hurricane threatens.

22

Know your risks

Any hurricane can be destructive and potentially deadly. These risks should be taken seriously.

24

Now is the best time to prepare FEMA Administrator Deanne Criswell on why planning ahead is the key to a safe hurricane season.

26

Earlier detection of potential danger

Learn about WINK’s new Live Doppler 3X, Southwest Florida’s most powerful radar.

32

Don’t wait to take action Rick Scott, U.S. Senator from Florida and former governor, on the importance of early preparation for potential storms.

34

Lessons from Hurricane Ian Emergency managers share tips for navigating hurricane season.

42

Preparing your family

A list of the important things you’ll need to help your family deal with a major storm.

44

What you need before the storm

A checklist of everything you’ll need to weather the storm.

46

Preparing your home / preparing your boat

Follow these tips to avoid or minimize storm damage to your home and your boat.

48

New warning graphics

Understanding the updated hurricane warning graphics from the National Hurricane Center.

52

After the storm

The hurricane may be over, but there are still potential dangers to look for during clean-up and repair. 56

Dangers of electricity

How to avoid the dangers of downed power lines, household wiring, and more after a hurricane.

62

Understand your insurance

Florida’s insurance industry has changed. Make sure your coverage has changed along with it.

66

Healthy hurricane preparation

Self-care tips for before, during, and after the storm.

68

Staying safe after a hurricane

Tips on avoiding sickness and injury during post-hurricane recovery and repair.

70

Evacuating to a shelter

If an evacuation is ordered, do it—even if it means going to a shelter. Here’s what to know before you arrive.

74

Area shelters and refuges of last resort

A list of Southwest Florida-area shelters, helpful information, and resources, plus a map.

78

Important area phone numbers and websites

The numbers and websites you need before, during, and after a hurricane.

80

Always there

WINK News, The Weather Authority, stays with you in a hurricane.

PREPARE NOW FOR THE SEASON AHEAD

Now is the time to get ready for hurricane season. If a storm is approaching Southwest Florida, it may already be too late to make the necessary preparations.

Hurricane season officially runs from June 1 to Nov. 30, and a major storm can strike Southwest Florida at any time during that period. While we always hope for a mild, inactive hurricane season, any hurricane of any strength can be a life-changing experience. Though it’s been almost two years, the scars from Hurricane Ian still remain in many places and serve as a reminder of the potential of any storm to bring destructive winds, flooding, and storm surge that can destroy homes large and small, splinter the tallest trees, upend lives, and level entire communities.

The 2024 WINK News Hurricane Guide is provided to help you and your family avoid those types of catastrophes. Assembled by WINK News, The Weather Authority, this guide is specifically designed to help you prepare in advance for the upcoming hurricane season. Keep a copy of the 2024 WINK News Hurricane Guide handy throughout the season so that you can plan to protect your family, home, and property. This guide will help you be aware of the supplies you’ll need, as well as how to create a communication plan and an evacuation strategy. Most importantly, this guide will provide information to help you deal with the effects of a hurricane, physically, emotionally, and financially.

The most important takeaway from this guide is that the comprehensive preparations and preventative measures you take ahead of time can play a vital role in safely surviving a hurricane. By planning ahead and staying informed and alert, you, your family, and your friends can make it safely through another hurricane season.

The 2024 WINK News Hurricane Guide has been assembled for you. Please use it to keep yourself, your family, and your property safe and sound.

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HURRICANE GUIDE 2024

THE 2024 HURRICANE OUTLOOK

RESEARCHERS PREDICT AN

ABOVE-AVERAGE SEASON

The hurricane research team at Colorado State University has issued its first 2024 Atlantic hurricane season forecast, and it is predicting an extremely active tropical weather season.

The 2024 Atlantic hurricane season runs from June 1 to Nov. 30. The research team at the CSU Tropical Meteorology Project is predicting 23 named storms this year, and that 11 of those named storms will become hurricanes. Of the 11 named storms, the CSU team expects five will reach major hurricane status. A major hurricane has sustained winds of at least 111 miles per hour and is classified as either a Category 3, 4, or 5 on the Saffir-Simpson scale. On average, the tropical weather season sees 14 storms, seven named storms, and three major hurricanes.

The two factors driving the anticipated increase in tropical weather activity this year are the warm temperatures in the Atlantic and the expected influence of a La Niña climate pattern in the Pacific. The sea-surface water temperatures in the Atlantic basin, especially in the Gulf of Mexico, the Caribbean, and the Main Development Region in the North Atlantic, were already well above

average in March. That alone can often be enough to promote frequent hurricane development and rapid intensification. However, the anticipated transition to a La Niña pattern in late summer may enhance the potential for hurricane development even further.

“The tropical Atlantic is basically still record-warm, and a warmer Atlantic provides more fuel for hurricanes. That also tends to be associated with lower pressures, a more unstable atmosphere, and lower wind shear, which is the change in wind direction and speed with height in the atmosphere,” says Dr. Phil Klotzbach, a research scientist with the Department of Atmospheric Science at Colorado State. “Too much shear is bad for hurricane development. Unfortunately, with a very warm Atlantic, that tends to reduce the shear. That’s combined with La Niña, which is colder than the normal water in the eastern and central Tropical Pacific. We anticipate a likely transition over to La Niña by the peak of the season, and that tends to also be associated with reduced levels of vertical wind shear.”

Klotzbach noted that, while the CSU team’s April forecast gets a good deal of media attention, the seasonal prediction will come into better focus when subsequent outlooks are released closer to hurricane season. However, he cautioned that, even if the expected transition to La Niña doesn’t occur, the Atlantic is still warm enough to indicate an above-normal hurricane season.

HURRICANE FORECAST 2024

HURRICANE GUIDE 2024

2024 Storm Names

The following names have been selected for storms in the Atlantic Basin during the 2024 hurricane season.

ALBERTO BERYL CHRIS DEBBY ERNESTO FRANCINE GORDON HELENE ISAAC JOYCE KIRK LESLIE

MILTON NADINE OSCAR PATTY

WILLIAM

The World Meteorological Organization maintains rotating lists of names for each of 10 tropical cyclone basins. In the Atlantic, for instance, tropical cyclones receive names in alphabetical order, and women’s and men’s names are alternated.

The Atlantic list covers just 21 letters of the alphabet, as it is difficult to find enough appropriate names that start with Q, U, X, Y, and Z.

In very active hurricane seasons, there may be more named storms than there are names on the primary list. When that occurs, rather than using Greek letters—as the WMO has in the past—the organization uses a new list of supplemental storm names.

“In 2013, we forecast nine hurricanes in April and we got two, so that was a big forecast bust. But, in general, I would say we have more confidence in (the outlook) just because the Atlantic is so warm,” he says. “If we don’t get to La Niña, we’re likely to at least get to ‘cool neutral,’ (which is) a little bit colder than normal. But that would still likely lead to a pretty busy hurricane season. Our confidence is fairly high just because everything is acting in unison to help promote a well-above-normal season.”

For the 2024 season, the CSU research team is anticipating a 62% probability of at least one major hurricane making landfall somewhere along the coastline of the United States. The average for the years between 1880 and 2020 was 43%. In addition, the researchers say the chance of a major hurricane making landfall along the East Coast of the United States, including the Florida peninsula, is 34%; the 140-year average was 21%. As for a major hurricane hitting the Gulf Coast—from the Florida panhandle westward to Brownsville, Texas—the CSU team predicts a 42% probability. The average from 1880 to 2020 is 27%.

This year marks the 41st year that the CSU hurricane research team has issued its seasonal hurricane forecast for the Atlantic basin. So far, the 2024 season is exhibiting characteristics similar to hurricane seasons in the years 1878, 1926, 1998, 2010, and 2020, which were all seasons that presented abovenormal Atlantic hurricane activity coming out of an El Niño pattern. Updated forecasts will be released by the CSU team on June 11, July 9, and Aug. 6.

AccuWeather, which released its preliminary outlooks in February and March, also projects a highly active Atlantic hurricane season. The AccuWeather team is predicting between 20 and 25 named storms for the 2024 Atlantic hurricane season,

with a 10-15% chance of more than 30. Among those, they’re predicting eight to 12 hurricanes and four to seven major hurricanes reaching Category 3 or higher. Accuweather’s outlook also projects four to six hurricanes will directly affect the United States.

Alex DaSilva, AccuWeather’s Lead Hurricane Forecaster, said in a release that the Texas coast, Florida Panhandle, South Florida, and the Carolinas are facing a higher-thanaverage risk of direct impact from tropical weather in 2024. However, DaSilva also noted that, no matter where you live near or along the Gulf of Mexico or the Atlantic, you should still be prepared for a surge in tropical activity in 2024.

“We don’t want people to become complacent,” DaSilva says. “You must prepare every single year as if this is the year you’re going to be impacted by a major hurricane.”

Given the predictions of an active 2024 hurricane season, both Klotzbach and DaSilva stressed the importance of making your hurricane season preparations now. And rather than fixating on the number of storms in the forecast, simply remember that any storm can be dangerous and focus on the safety of you and your family all season long.

“No matter how busy a season could be, for any one spot along the coastline or any one county, the odds of being significantly impacted (by a hurricane) are quite low. But, given that Southwest Florida had a very bad hurricane recently, [that] doesn’t increase your odds or decrease your odds for the next year,” Klotzbach says. “Even if the seasonal forecast is a bust and we end up with two hurricanes, one of those hurricanes could affect Southwest Florida. So, now is the time to have your plan in place and to prepare your resources, because you don’t want to be doing it when the hurricane is beating down your door.”

LEARN THESE TERMS

Center: The vertical axis of a tropical cyclone, usually defined by the location of minimum wind or minimum pressure.

El Niño: The abnormal weather pattern caused by warmer-thannormal water in the central and eastern Pacific along the equator. When the tropical Pacific is warmer than normal, winds at upper levels of the atmosphere (about 30,000 feet) in the tropical Atlantic are stronger than normal, which tears apart hurricanes as they are forming. The strength or weakness of the El Niño pattern can help determine the severity of a hurricane season.

Eye: The relatively calm area in the center of a hurricane. It can range from 5 miles to more than 50 miles wide.

Eye Wall: A doughnut-shaped zone of the highest winds and heavy rain surrounding the eye.

Feeder Bands: Thunderstorms that spiral into and around the center of a tropical system. A typical storm may have three or more bands, usually 40 to 80 miles apart.

Gale Warning: According to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, this is a warning that indicates 1-minute sustained surface winds between 39 mph and 54 mph.

High Wind Warning: NOAA issues this warning when 1-minute average surface winds of 40 mph or greater last for 60 minutes or longer, or winds gusting to 58 mph or greater, regardless of duration, are either expected or observed over land.

Hurricane Warning: Issued when hurricane conditions—winds of 74 mph or greater—are expected within 36 hours.

Hurricane Watch: Issued when hurricane conditions—winds of 74 mph or greater—are possible within 48 hours.

Landfall: When the surface center of a tropical cyclone intersects with the coastline.

La Niña: This is the opposite of El Niño, and is marked by coolerthan-normal eastern Pacific waters. This pattern can contribute to an increase in Atlantic tropical activity by weakening wind shear, which enables storms to develop and intensify.

Major Hurricane: A storm with winds of 111 mph or higher.

Right Front Quadrant: In our hemisphere, this is the most destructive part of a hurricane, usually having the strongest winds, roughest seas, and highest storm surges. This section of the storm is located in the eyewall to the right of the eye, based on the direction in which the storm is traveling.

Small Craft Advisory: A type of wind warning issued by the National Weather Service when winds have reached—or are expected to reach within 12 hours—a speed marginally less than gale force, 24 to 38 mph.

Storm Surge: This occurs when ocean water is pushed toward the shore by the force of the winds swirling around the storm. When this advancing surge combines with the normal tides, water levels may increase by 15 feet or more.

Tropical Cyclone: These rotating, organized systems of clouds and thunderstorms originate over warm tropical or subtropical waters and are characterized by low atmospheric pressure, high winds, and heavy rain.

Tropical Depression: This type of storm forms when a low-pressure area is accompanied by thunderstorms producing a circular wind flow with maximum sustained speeds of less than 39 mph.

Tropical Disturbance: An area of thunderstorms that maintains its intensity for at least 24 hours.

Tropical Storm: A warm-centered, low-pressure circulation with highest sustained winds between 39 and 73 mph.

Wind Shear: Upper-level winds that can blow the tops off hurricanes and prevent vertical development, weakening or destroying them.

Barometric

Category

PREPARATION

THE SAFFIR-SIMPSON HURRICANE SCALE

Very dangerous winds will produce some damage

Possibility of getting struck by flying or falling debris that could injure or kill

Older mobile homes (pre-1994) could be destroyed, especially if they are not anchored properly

Some poorly constructed homes can experience damage

Some buildings’ roofs and siding coverings could be removed

Large branches of trees will snap and shallow-rooted trees will topple

Extensive damage to powerlines and poles. Power outages for a few days

Hurricane Dolly (2008)

Extremely dangerous winds will cause extensive damage

Substantial risk of injury or death to people, livestock, and pets due to flying or falling debris

Older mobile homes (pre-1994) have a very high chance of being destroyed. Newer ones are at risk

Some poorly constructed homes have a high chance of damage

Unreinforced masonry walls can collapse

Many shallow-rooted trees will be snapped or uprooted

The Saffir-Simpson Hurricane Scale rates storms by Categories 1 through 5 based on their intensity. These categories may change as a hurricane becomes stronger or weaker during the course of the storm.

Devastating damage will occur

High risk of injury or death to people, livestock, and pets due to flying or falling debris

Nearly all older mobile homes (pre-1994) will be destroyed. Most newer mobile homes will sustain damage

Poorly constructed homes can be destroyed by the removal of roof and exterior walls

High percentage of roof and siding damage

Many shallow-rooted trees will be snapped or uprooted

Catastrophic damage will occur

Very high risk of injury or death to people, livestock, and pets due to flying or falling debris

Nearly all older and newer mobile homes will be destroyed

Catastrophic damage will occur

Very high risk of injury or death due to flying or falling debris even if indoors

Almost complete destruction of mobile homes

Poorly constructed homes’ walls can collapse and roof structures can be lost

High percentage of damage to top floors. Steel frames can collapse

Most trees will snap or uproot and power poles will be downed

High percentage of homes will be destroyed

High percentage of buildings will be destroyed

Nearly all trees will snap or uproot and power poles will be downed

Near-total power loss is expected with outages that could last for days to weeks

Hurricane Frances (2004)

Electricity and water will be unavailable for days to weeks after the storm

Hurricane Idalia (2023)

Power outages will last for weeks to possibly months. Most of the area will be uninhabitable for weeks

Hurricane Ian (2022)

Power outages will last for weeks to possibly months. Most of the area will be uninhabitable for weeks to months

Hurricane Andrew (1992)

Forever by Your Side RAIN OR SHINE

When

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SARASOTA COUNTY

CHARLOTTE COUNTY LEE COUNTY

BOCA GRANDE

PORT CHARLOTTE

PUNTA GORDA

FORT MYERS

LEHIGH ACRES

NORTH FORT MYERS

CAPE CORAL

SOUTHWEST FLORIDA EVACUATION ZONES

COLLIER COUNTY

is the least vulnerable area. Well-prepared and well-protected buildings should be safe in all but catastrophic events. Wind, including tornadoes, poses the most significant danger in Zone E.

is one of the least vulnerable areas. Well-prepared and well-protected buildings should be safe during most storms. However, if evacuations are required, the safest option may be to travel to the East Coast.

is vulnerable to hurricane impacts. A large or powerful hurricane from the Gulf may require evacuations for surge or wind. Wind can pose a danger to unprepared or poorly constructed homes.

is very vulnerable and will experience significant impacts from land-falling storms. Evacuation will often be required for a hurricane coming from the Gulf. Winds in exiting storms may also require evacuation. Zone B is still vulnerable to potentially fatal levels of storm surge and some wave action. A B C D E

is most vulnerable to hurricanes and will be first to be impacted by a land-falling storm. Evacuation is often required for any named storm coming from the Gulf and it also may be necessary for exiting storms. Potentially fatal storm surge and large, crashing waves are the most extreme dangers.

SOURCE: Lee County Emergency Management. For more information, use your phone to scan this QR code:

KNOW YOUR RISKS

Though it’s been almost two years since Hurricane Ian, the scars it left across Southwest Florida serve as lasting reminders of a hurricane’s destructive and deadly potential. Given that, regardless of its strength or projected track, it’s important that you treat every hurricane—and the dangers associated with it—very seriously.

Simply put, you should know and understand your risks.

Underestimating the risks of any hurricane can be a potentially lifethreatening mistake. Those who might take a storm lightly and are fortunate enough to emerge unscathed should be considered extremely lucky. However, if they do manage to avoid the wrath of a strong hurricane, afterward they’ll still likely encounter long lines for essentials such as ice, water, and food.

They may have friends and family who did have the foresight to prepare in advance and are able to help provide shelter and supplies after the storm, but that would represent another stroke of luck. Fortunately, most people don’t want to take that kind of risk and potentially put themselves in either position.

A hurricane isn’t a fun experience. Going into a hurricane unprepared shouldn’t be considered an act of bravery or an opportunity to go viral. Always make sure you understand what you’re facing.

How bad could a hurricane’s landfall be?

Consider that a Category 3 hurricane can destroy smaller homes, take down power lines, topple large trees, and send tree limbs through windows and

roofs. In 2022, Hurricane Ian showed that a Category 4 hurricane is strong enough to generate a devastating storm surge and complete structural failure. A Category 5 storm can cause even greater destruction across a wider area. And, regardless of the size or strength of the storm, any hurricane can cause catastrophic flooding almost anywhere.

To put the destructive potential of a hurricane in Southwest Florida into numbers, consider these examples. Hurricane Irma, which made landfall on Marco Island as a Category 3 storm in 2017, led to the deaths of 129 people. In addition, according to the National Hurricane Center, the cost of the overall damage was estimated at $50 billion. Of the approximately 6.5 million Floridians who were ordered to evacuate, 77,000 had to find refuge in 450 shelters.

Five years later, in 2022, Hurricane Ian made landfall on Cayo Costa Island as a Category 4 hurricane with 150 mph winds. The 14-foot storm surge generated by Ian along Fort Myers Beach was the highest ever recorded in Southwest Florida. The 149 deaths attributed to Hurricane Ian made it the deadliest hurricane to strike Florida since 1935. Plus, Ian’s $112 billion damage toll made it the costliest hurricane in Florida’s history and the third-costliest in U.S. history.

Be prepared. Stay informed. Above all, keep safe. If you don’t absolutely have to, don’t try to ride out a hurricane. If evacuations are ordered, do what’s necessary to ensure you and your loved ones are out of harm’s way as soon as possible. Remember that any and every hurricane carries the potential for a variety of real dangers. Understanding those dangers, and the risks they pose to people and property, is a vital first step to surviving hurricane season safely.

HURRICANE GUIDE 2024 Getty

NOW IS THE BEST TIME TO PREPARE FOR THE 2024 HURRICANE SEASON

Last year, Hurricane Idalia brought a renewed focus and commitment to ensuring older adults had the support, information, and resources they needed to stay safe and evacuate from storms. To help older adults and their caregivers get more prepared, FEMA’s Ready Campaign launched a campaign to empower older adults to take three essential preparedness steps: assess your needs, create a plan, and engage your network. We developed new resources for older adults, including a Disaster Preparedness Guide for Older Adults to support older adults with easy-to-read, user-friendly worksheets and checklists so they can create a personalized plan, and we created a Disaster Preparedness Guide for Caregivers with the Rosalynn Carter Institute for Caregivers to directly help caregivers feel more prepared and in control when disaster strikes. Family caregivers are often the first responders in a disaster, and this new guide addresses the barriers to preparedness many caregivers face.

Help Your Friends and Neighbors

You can be a force for good by helping others plan evacuation routes and strengthen their homes against hurricane damage. Consider checking with neighbors, older adults, caregivers, or those who may need additional help making and completing their hurricane plans.

Know When to Go and Where to Go

It’s important to know if you live in an area that could be at risk during a storm. You may only need to go 10 miles inland, depending on the evacuation order, and you may not necessarily need to leave the state to stay safe until the storm passes. That’s why it’s critical to understand where your evacuation routes, zones, and areas are ahead of time, and to pay attention to directions from local officials.

Stay Connected

If you need to evacuate, make a family emergency communication plan so you know how to get in touch during and after a storm. Write down your family, friends,

By Deanne Criswell Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) Administrator

and loved ones’ phone numbers and make sure you have a plan to connect after the storm passes. Have several ways to receive alerts, including through the free FEMA app, local media, and alerts from the National Weather Service.

Being Prepared and Resilient

Personal resilience is at the heart of preparedness. By learning your area’s risk from hurricanes, you are better armed to take actions to protect yourself, your loved ones, and your home from whatever may come. You can build your resilience by having the supplies you’ll need to be safe and comfortable for seven days. Whether you need to evacuate or stay at home, your basic supplies should include non-perishable food, water, a battery-powered or hand crank radio and flashlights with a supply of extra batteries, any medications you take, and pet supplies. Visit Ready.gov and Listo.gov for additional items for your kit.

Strengthen Your Home Against Hurricane Damage

The best time to make your home strong is now. Check your roof, protect your windows and exterior doors, and make sure trees and shrubs around your house are trimmed and in good condition.

Save Your Documents and Know the Importance of Flood Insurance

Print out documents ahead of time and have them ready to go when you evacuate. You may need to access those documents when applying for assistance following the storm. If you do apply for assistance from FEMA, the new changes we’ve made will better assist you during the recovery process and will provide you with flexible funding as you jumpstart your recovery. We understand how difficult our programs can be to navigate, which is why we recently changed our eligibility criteria to help people recover faster, while building back stronger. We also improved our customer experience by simplifying the application process to make it easier for people to apply for assistance. Visit the FEMA.gov page for more information on these new changes. Lastly, since most homeowners, renters, and business insurance policies do not cover flood damage, we encourage people to get flood insurance from the National Flood Insurance Program. Floridians are no strangers to hurricanes, and as we approach the 2024 Hurricane Season, I encourage everyone to act today to protect yourself, your loved ones, and your home before we reach the height of hurricane season.

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To help protect you through all types of weather, we invested in WINK Live Doppler 3X: Southwest Florida’s Most Powerful and Accurate Radar. By having one million watts of power, three times more than any other local radar, we have the ability see farther into the Gulf, the Atlantic, and even to the south of Cuba. In fact, WINK Live Doppler 3X’s maximum diameter is over 600 miles wide! That range allows us to detect potential threats early and notify you first.

eye wall of the storm before landfall. Typically, 90% of that wind makes it down to the surface. WINK Live Doppler 3X’s durability and strategic location inland, away from the higher impacts along the coast, are why we were still able to get crucial data on the storm hours before, during, and after Ian’s landfall. HURRICANE GUIDE 2024

WINK Live Doppler 3X is a DualPolarimetric radar that transmits and receives pulses in both a horizontal and vertical orientation. As a result, the returning frequencies provide measurements of the horizontal and vertical dimensions of targets, supplying WINK meteorologists with better estimates of the size, shape, and variety of elements in the atmosphere. That data was critical when analyzing Hurricane Ian strengthening into a Category 5 off the Southwest Florida coast on Sept. 28, 2022. WINK Live Doppler 3X was able to successfully indicate increasing winds up to 170 mph aloft inside the

In August of 2023, WINK Live Doppler 3X tracked Hurricane Idalia’s every move in the Gulf of Mexico. While the eye stayed 150 miles offshore, Southwest Florida still felt surge, wind, heavy rain, and a tornado threat. Our radar detected multiple areas of rotation while tornado warnings were issued on the eastern “dirty side” of the storm for several hours. WINK Live Doppler 3X was also able to indicate who had the greatest local risk of flooding because of the 5-9” of rain that fell across Charlotte and DeSoto County.

WINK Live Doppler 3X does an excellent job indicating wind and rain, as well as tornado debris. On the morning of April 30, 2023, an EF-1 tornado touched down in eastern Charlotte County, destroying a barn along Bermont Road. The WINK Weather Team, Southwest Florida’s Most Trusted, was the first to warn viewers a tornado was on the ground because a debris ball (shown at left)

SHUTTERS

Accordions

Corrugated Panels

Aluminum Roll-Ups

Hurricane Screens

Bahamas

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WINDOWS

Single & Double Hung

Horizontal Rollers

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Picture

Architectural

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was detected in a unique radar tool called correlation coefficient. Our radar, in highly accurate scans, knows the difference between rain and other elements swirling through the air.

For example, in the image on page 28, rain is depicted as red and debris is green or blue. When we see those colors in the area of strong rotation, we can infer that a tornado is on the ground. Only strong tornadoes can hurl debris very high into the air, which is why having a local radar nearby is critical for advance warning. The closer a radar is to a tornado, the more of it we can see, especially debris.

But there’s another reason why location is hugely important when it

comes to weather radars. The ability of WINK Live Doppler 3X to provide the highest quality and most accurate data to more people in Southwest Florida is due to the radar’s rural location. That’s because every radar has what’s called a “cone of silence” near its site, where no data is going out or being received. The small part of the atmosphere immediately above the radar will never be scanned and shows up blank. That

means putting it in a densely populated area prevents everyone nearby from receiving data, and requires the use of less accurate radars located more than 100 miles away. With WINK Live Doppler 3X’s location out in the open across inland Charlotte County, our “cone of silence” affects a much smaller number of people and provides the best data during severe weather and tropical weather when you need it the most.

WINK Live Doppler 3X even has the ability to analyze snow and ice at different layers of the atmosphere. That’s important for us during severe weather, because our radar can not only detect hail aloft inside the storm, it can detect the size of it, too. When it’s not raining, our radar can play an important role during dry season, as well. If a wildfire breaks out, we’ll know the size of the smoke plume, how high it is, and what direction it’s traveling. That’s helpful for those with asthma and respiratory issues who want to stay inside and avoid the smoke from miles away. On a lighter note, WINK Live Doppler 3X frequently scans bugs and even migratory patterns of birds. The colors in this radar image above are birds at sunrise, often called a “roost ring.”

Our no. 1 priority at WINK is the safety of you and your family. With Southwest Florida’s Most Powerful and Accurate Radar at our disposal, you can always trust us to keep you ahead of the storm and prepared for all that Mother Nature throws our way. Getty

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By Rick Scott U.S. Senator from Florida and Former Governor

DON’T WAIT TO TAKE ACTION; GET PREPARED FOR HURRICANE SEASON TODAY

In the past two years, Southwest Florida saw complete devastation from Hurricane Ian, which made landfall as one of the most powerful and deadly storms we’ve seen in years, followed by devastating impacts in the Big Bend from Idalia last year. These storms hit Florida families hard, leaving an aftermath of utter destruction. But, if there’s one thing I’ve learned as Florida’s governor and now U.S. senator, it’s that Florida is resilient. Each time we face disaster, our communities come together with state and federal officials to get Floridians back on their feet as quickly as possible.

As your senator, my goal is to make sure Florida families and businesses have everything they need to prepare for and recover from any severe weather. I’m fighting at the federal level to protect Florida’s families and businesses with legislation including the Block Grant Assistance Act to provide needed relief to our farmers, and the Hurricane Tax Relief Act to provide disaster-loss tax relief for families in affected communities. I’m also working with FEMA to make sure it continues to show up as a federal partner to so many communities in Southwest Florida and throughout the state that are still working to recover from Hurricanes Ian and Idalia.

Each storm, and each hurricane season, presents its own challenges and its own lessons. From Ian, we saw just how quickly severe weather can develop, change directions, and bring dangerous winds and storm surge with it. We must take every storm seriously. That means getting prepared NOW and making a plan for yourself, your family and your business—because preparedness

saves lives. You can find resources and information on creating a personalized emergency plan in this guide or at ready.gov.

I know that so many families are struggling to make ends meet with skyrocketing inflation making everyday goods unaffordable and stocking up on vital supplies for a disaster preparedness kit even harder. I’m fighting every day to stop the reckless spending that’s fueling this inflation and make sure families can put food on the table while they get prepared. Starting preparations early allows Floridians to make purchases of vital supplies like food, water, flashlights, batteries, and other necessities on their own terms. Early preparations also give you the time to revisit your plan, so you don’t feel rushed to create the best plan possible for your family.

Whether you’ve lived in Florida for decades or days, we can never be complacent, let our guards down, or underestimate severe weather when your family’s lives are at stake. In case of a storm, stay tuned to your local news reports—such as WINK News, The Weather Authority— and follow the direction of local law enforcement and emergency management officials. As I always say, you can rebuild your home, but you cannot rebuild your life.

Now is the time to focus on taking care of each other and protecting our families. Don’t wait to take action. Start getting prepared TODAY.

As always, my team stands ready to help any Floridians who need help with federal agencies, including FEMA, through our website rickscott.senate.gov or by contacting one of our offices in D.C. and throughout the state.

HURRICANE GUIDE 2024

HOME WATCH SERVICES

What is Home Watch? It is a risk mitigation service. It’s someone checking on your home while you are away. So much can happen in your absence, and you need to know about it. If you are away from your Southwest Florida home for stretches of time, you need to have someone checking on your unoccupied place, advocating for you and your best interests.

Home Watchers that are Members of the National Home Watch Association:

• Have all passed criminal background checks.

• Carry the correct insurance and bonding in order to protect the client and their property.

• Receive ongoing education.

• Act as their client’s advocate during their absence.

HOME WATCHERS CAN ASSIST WITH PRE & POST STORM SERVICES

PRE STORM

● FOLLOW HOMEOWNER’S ACTION PLAN

● TAKE TIME & DATE STAMPED PICTURES / VIDEOS FOR DOCUMENTATION

● COMMUNICATE WITH HOMEOWNER

POST STORM

● PROPERTY INSPECTED FOR STORM DAMAGE

● CONTACT HOMEOWNER

● SEND HOMEOWNER PICTURES / VIDEOS OF ANY OBVIOUS DAMAGE

Companies represented in photo: 1-Stop Home Watch Service; Allied Home Watch; Ally Home Watch; Alpha Home Watch and Handyman Services; Always There Home Watch; ASF Home Services; At Ease Home Watch; Coastal Breeze Home Watch Services; Coastline Cottage Home Watch; Deep Creek Home Watch; Eagle View Homewatch; Elite Home Watch Plus of SWFL; Estates Neighborhood Home Watch; First In Home Watch & Services; H^2 Home Watch; Here 4 You Home Watch; Homewatch Services Etc.; Hudnall's Home Check Services; Leddy Defense Pro Home Watch Services; Naples Area Home Watch; Neighbor Home Watch; No Place Like Home Watch; Nosey Neighbor Home Watch; Province Property Group; ProWatch Home Services; Reliable Home Services SWFL; Secure Haven Home Watch; Sun Seeker Home Watch; TE Reliable Home Services; Toll Family Home Watch Services; Trident Home Watch; Trusted Home Watch of Naples; Until You Return Homewatch.

Carl Lorenzini, Chapter Lead and Members of the Southwest Florida Chapter of the NHWA

WHAT WE LEARNED FROM HURRICANE IAN

EMERGENCY EXPERTS PROVIDE TIPS FOR NAVIGATING HURRICANE SEASON

Type “Hurricane Ian” into a search bar, and it’ll show obvious devastation: a timelapse of Fort Myers flooding, boats flung from one neighborhood to another, strong tree branches snapping like twigs.

Ask a local about it, and they’ll likely shudder at the memories of living through such devastation. It wasn’t just a street underwater; it was the sidewalk they strolled to catch the first glimpse of sunlight at the dawn of a new day. It wasn’t a boat that’d crashed into a building; it was someone’s vessel to connect to the world via the coast. It wasn’t a palm tree that vanished underwater; it was a shady spot to read a book on a picturesque Florida day.

The 150 Florida fatalities weren’t a sum of deaths the storm collected. They were someone’s mother, father, grandparent, daughter, son, or friend.

It’s valid for the community to feel complex emotions over a lack of preparedness. Had they known how different that hurricane would be, perhaps they could have fled the region sooner or boarded up their home better. Made that call to a loved one, insisting they seek shelter now.

The September 2022 storm showed ways the region needed to be equipped to handle such intensity, such as emphasis on giving and following timely emergency orders, structural vulnerabilities, lack of

shelter accessibilities, and delayed response efforts.

As Southwest Florida enters another season of tropical storms, emergency officials are providing us with ways residents can feel more prepared and aware of what could come.

Understand storm surge

Storm surge posed a particularly deadly threat during Hurricane Ian to which the region wasn’t accustomed.

“We had gone almost over a decade without a significant storm surge in our heavily populated area,” says Dan Summers, director of emergency services at Collier County government. “Storm surge is a dramatically different event.”

Storm surge, or the abnormal rise of water generated by a storm, can be fast and forceful, wreaking havoc on buildings and infrastructure in its path. It can occur without warning as a storm rapidly approaches the coastline, and floodwaters prolong damage after the hurricane passes.

The National Hurricane Center is debuting an experimental forecast cone in August, emphasizing watches and warnings so the public can pay attention to the most crucial signals.

“We don’t want you to deny the watches and warnings, specifically when the storm surge warnings are becoming so evident,” Summers says.

Know your evacuation zone

“Most importantly, know your evacuation zone,” Summers says. Also, check your home’s elevation; don’t wait until a catastrophe looms to determine it.

In Florida, evacuation zones are typically determined by vulnerability

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to storm surge. In Lee County, residents in Zone A can be evacuated for storm surge before seeing the effects of the tropical storm, according to the Lee County Government website, which lets you search for your zone directly. It’s essential to heed the warnings as they come.

“When storm surge warnings come out, it’s the real deal,” Summers says. So, residents must already know where to go if needed. “The public is our partner in this.”

Check warnings often

“During an activation, every six hours, our staff at Lee County Emergency Operation Center receive a National Weather Service forecast, and staff adjusts its emergency preparedness activities and communications accordingly based on those forecasted cycles,” says Lee County Public Safety Director Benjamin Abes. Lee County staff also confers with the Florida Division of Emergency Management and works with local public safety partners to relay details to the public.

Summers said Southwest Florida residents should check weather information at least every four hours. “It’s something you want to continuously monitor.”

Plan for everything early

Long before you have to hit the road, search for your nearest hurricane shelter, arrange to stay with friends, or make lodging plans, and go wherever you need to before nightfall, Summers said.

WINK; Brian Tietz

“Do it during daylight hours. You’ve got to allow time to travel, and you’ve got to allow time for heavy traffic, and you want to be in a safe spot for the night,” Summers says.

The final destination doesn’t have to be too far.

“So many people like to try to get out of the state, but that is a mistake,” says John Cangialosi, senior hurricane specialist at the National Hurricane Center. “Typically, you just have to leave the evacuation zone area—that’s it.”

Go over hurricane preparedness information on county websites, and invite others to do the same.

“Consider scheduling a community event to watch the materials with neighbors,” Abes says.

Plan for your family’s unique needs. For instance, Collier County’s special needs shelter registry is for people with medical conditions that require more assistance and medical monitoring than a general-population shelter

can provide. Registrations must be updated annually. (More special needs shelter information is available at floridahealth.gov and county websites.)

“Consider making a family plan with a supply list, all your insurance information, and where you will go under all different scenarios, so when it’s go time, you can just book it,” Cangialosi says. “Hurricanes could be a lot less emotional if we just kind of figure this out ahead of time.”

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PREPARING YOUR FAMILY

MAKE A FAMILY COMMUNICATION PLAN

Even the best plans can go astray when disaster strikes. If your family members are not all in the same place when a hurricane hits, have you considered how you’ll get in touch with each other? Do you have a designated meeting spot? What if your neighborhood is evacuated? It’s vitally important to create a plan now so that everyone will know what to do, how to find each other, and how to communicate in an emergency.

• Choose the same person for each family member to call or email, so that everyone has a single point of contact. During or after a hurricane, it might be easier to reach someone who’s out of town or outside the state.

• Make that contact person the “ICE” (“In Case of Emergency”) contact in your cell phone. If you’re injured, emergency personnel often will check the ICE listings on your phone to reach someone you know. Notify the person you’ve listed that he or she is your emergency contact.

• Be sure every member of your family knows the emergency contact’s phone number and has a cell phone or a prepaid phone card to call that person.

• Text, don’t talk, unless it’s an emergency. It may be easier to text and you won’t tie up phone lines for emergency workers. Text messages can often get around network disruptions when phone calls can’t.

• Keep your family’s contact info and meeting spot location in your backpack, wallet, or cell phone or taped inside your school notebook.

• Designate someone from outside the area to be the primary contact for out-of-town relatives and friends to check on your well-being. Following

a hurricane, landlines and cell phone networks may be out of service for extended periods.

BE PREPARED AND STAY AWARE

It’s important to be prepared and stay aware when hazardous weather threatens. A communication plan is only one element of what you’ll need to have in place with your family when a hurricane is imminent. Get your family together well before hurricane season begins so that you can establish a plan for how to respond to a natural disaster. Here are some ideas:

• Discuss the type of hazards that could affect your family.

• Understand your home’s vulnerability to storm dangers.

• Determine your evacuation route and destination. Plan to go to family or friends who live in safer areas. Use county evacuation shelters only as a last resort.

• Establish an alternate plan if your friends should be out of town, your primary evacuation route is flooded, or other unforeseen circumstances arise.

• Put together a family communication plan as outlined above.

• Have a plan for what to do with your pets if you need to evacuate (see tips in the next column).

• Review your homeowners and flood

insurance policies and keep them with you in a secure, waterproof place. The impending arrival of a storm is the wrong time to check on the status of your insurance coverage.

• Register any individuals in your care with special needs with your county’s emergency management office.

• Create a list of prescription medicines that you will need to refill and take with you.

• Stock non-perishable emergency supplies and food to last several days.

• Prepare a disaster supply kit.

PREPARE YOUR PETS

You will need a plan for your pets, too. Consider two different emergency kits specifically for your pet:

• In one, put everything your pets will need to stay where you are.

• The other should be a compact, portable version to use if you and your pets have to evacuate.

• For more information and a detailed list of disaster preparedness tips, go to aspca.org.

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GET YOUR SUPPLIES NOW: FOLLOW THESE CHECKLISTS

Supplies are a critical part of every family’s health and safety. Assemble the supplies you’ll need well in advance of hurricane season each year. It pays to be prepared.

When a storm is imminent, time to shop will be limited. If supplies are even available, you will have to scramble to find them. During recent hurricane seasons, many Southwest Florida residents had to contend with shortages of plywood, batteries, flashlights, water, ice, generators, and other storm necessities.

Every time a storm is predicted to make landfall near Southwest Florida, shopping lines are long, shelves are bare, and stress levels are high. Supplies can be divided into several categories, but the essentials should be gathered ahead of time and kept easily accessible throughout the hurricane season.

THE ESSENTIALS

These are the supplies you should always have on hand. Be sure to place the items that you will most likely need for an evacuation in an easy-tocarry container.

• A minimum of one gallon of water per person per day. Keep at least a three-day supply per person on hand.

• Additional water for food preparation and sanitation.

• Bags of ice.

• Partially fill plastic soft drink bottles, one liter or larger, with water and place them in the freezer. The bottles will freeze without cracking. If the power goes out, the frozen water will help keep the freezer cool, and when the ice melts, the water will be drinkable.

• Fill up your car’s gas tank and portable gas canisters. Make sure those canisters are stored safely.

• Keep cash handy. Banks may not be open, ATMs may not be accessible and debit cards and credit cards may not be viable if power is lost.

SPECIAL NEEDS

If you have family members with special requirements, such as infants and elderly or disabled persons, remember

to include items and supplies that may be unique to their needs. That can include setting aside anything from extra diapers and baby formula to special medications and a spare walker.

GROCERIES

• Baby formula

• Bread

• Crackers

• Canned fruits

• Canned juice

• Canned meats

• Canned vegetables

• Dry cereal

• Instant coffee and tea

• Peanut butter

• Quick-energy snacks

• Ready-to-eat soups

DOCUMENTS

• Important telephone numbers

• Record of bank account numbers

• Family records (birth, marriage, death certificates)

• Record of credit card account numbers and companies

• Inventory of valuable household goods—with pictures, if possible

MEDICAL SUPPLIES

• First-aid kit for your home. For how to stock your kit, consult the American Red Cross at redcross. org

• First aid kit for your car

• Insulin

• Denture needs

• Prescription drugs (minimum two-week supply)

• A supply of aspirin or non-aspirin pain reliever

• Contact lenses and supplies

• Eyeglasses, along with a spare pair, if you have one

• Heart and high blood pressure medicine

• Insect repellent

• Itch-relief cream

TOOLS & SUPPLIES

• Battery-operated radio or TV

• Flashlight and lanterns

• Extra batteries and extra bulbs

• Lighter or matches for your grill

• Antenna for your TV

• Extension cords (heavy duty and three-pronged)

• Copy of will, insurance policies, deeds, stocks, and bonds

• Copy of passports, social security cards, and immunization records

SANITATION

• Disinfectant

• Toilet paper, towelettes, paper towels

• Soap and liquid detergent

• Personal hygiene items

• Household chlorine bleach

• Large bucket or trash can with lid for storing water to flush toilets

• Manual can opener/utility knife

• Plastic sheeting/ tarps

• Duct tape

• Generator

• Gas cans

• Old towels for clean up

• Paper cups, plates, and utensils

• Plastic trash bags

• Full propane tank

• Charcoal and lighter fluid

• Camp stove

• Sterno

• Thermos for hot food

• Coolers with ice for cold food

• Tree saw for cutting fallen limbs

• Hand tools: knife, axe, pliers, screwdrivers, wrench

• Hammer and nails

• Fire extinguisher

• Fix-a-flat

• Mops, buckets and cleaning supplies

PREPARATION

PREPARING YOUR HOME

It is vital that your home is prepared for a hurricane. While preparations may vary greatly, there are precautions that every homeowner should follow to help protect their home and property. That can include strengthening or updating the structure of your house, its electrical system, or its plumbing. Prices for those projects can vary based on the size of your home, but the more complex jobs are best suited to licensed contractors.

There are several precautions, however, that you can take on your own to prepare and protect your home.

• WINDOWS

Installing storm shutters over all exposed windows and glass surfaces may be the easiest and most effective way to protect your home from a

variety of hurricane-related damage.

Be sure to cover and protect every window, French door, glass door, and skylight in your home. Manufactured storm shutters can be made of steel, aluminum, or heavy-duty plastic. Plywood shutters, if properly constructed and installed, can also provide significant protection from hurricane-force winds and debris.

• ROOF

A home’s roof is especially vulnerable to hurricane damage, as it can be compromised by high winds and debris. Proper roof construction is essential. Having a qualified building professional inspect your roof can determine whether it needs reinforcement. That small investment can save you thousands of dollars in damage when a hurricane hits.

• DOORS

The bolts and pins used to secure double-entry doors (with one active door and one that is inactive) may be unable to withstand hurricane-force winds. When preparing your home for hurricanes, check with a local hardware store or building supplies retailer to determine the bolt system best suited to reinforce your doors.

• GARAGE DOORS

Hurricane-force winds can easily compromise double-wide garage doors, leaving your home vulnerable to more damage. Fortunately, some garage doors can be reinforced with retrofit kits. Look for retrofit kits for your garage door at a local building supplies or hardware store.

• MOBILE HOMES REQUIRE SPECIAL PRECAUTIONS

More than any other structure, mobile home homes are especially vulnerable to a hurricane’s winds. Ensure your mobile home is anchored by over-the-top tie-downs or frame tie-down straps. When a storm approaches, do your best to secure your home, then seek refuge with friends, relatives, or at a public shelter. Even if it is securely anchored, do not try to ride out a hurricane in a mobile home under any circumstances. Always follow mandatory evacuation orders if they are issued. Once you’ve securely anchored your mobile home, make sure to:

• Pack breakables in boxes.

• Remove mirrors.

• Wrap mirrors and lamps in blankets and place them in the bathtub or shower.

• Install hurricane shutters or securely cover all windows with pre-cut plywood.

• Shut off utilities and propane tanks; disconnect electricity, sewer, and water lines.

PREPARATION

PREPARING YOUR BOAT

The sparkling waters of the Gulf of Mexico, inland waterways, and pristine beaches make Southwest Florida a boat owner’s paradise. But those same qualities make boats especially vulnerable to damage from hurricanes and tropical storms.

The boat, the local boating environment, and available storage options may vary, but every boat owner needs a plan of action designed specifically to protect their craft. For the planning, safeguards, and preparation needed to protect your boat before a storm arrives, use these precautions and checklists as general guidelines.

GENERAL PRECAUTIONS FOR YOUR BOAT

• Check your boat thoroughly to ensure it is in sound condition. Be sure to inspect the hull, deck hardware, rigging, ground tackle, machinery, and electronics.

• Check and double-check to ensure sure batteries are charged, bilge pumps are working, fuel tanks are full, fuel filters are clean, cockpit drains are free and clear, firefighting equipment is in good working condition, and lifesaving equipment is readily accessible and in good shape.

• Augment and reinforce the watertight integrity of your boat by sealing all doors, windows, and hatches with waterproof duct tape.

• Secure every item on your boat. Remove or secure all deck gear, portable gear, radio antennas, outriggers, chairs, deck boxes, cushions, bimini tops and side/canvas curtains, sails, boom, canister rafts, and dinghies.

• Put together a hurricane action plan specific to your vessel. If you plan to move your boat to a safer location, and you have sufficient warning, do it 72 hours, and at least 48 hours, before the storm is due to hit the area. Rehearse your planned boat movement, including actually visiting the alternate dock or hurricane mooring/anchoring site, to get a feel for how long the trip will take and any obstacles you may encounter along the way.

• Inspect your boat’s deck hardware to be sure it is compat-

ible with your mooring arrangements. Check the size and structural attachment of the primary chocks, cleats, bitts, bollards, and winches. These are high-load/ high-stress points, so they should have substantial backing plates secured with bolts of commensurate size.

• Be careful to avoid chafing of mooring lines. A double neoprene hose arrangement has proven to be effective, successful chafing gear.

• Make sure storm moorings have doubled lines, whether they’re located dockside or elsewhere. For the second set of lines, use a size larger than the normal lines, including spring lines at a dock.

• Create a list of important phone numbers in your phone’s contacts, and keep a hard copy just in case. The list should include contact numbers for your insurance agent, harbor master, and marina facility, plus the United States Coast Guard and National Weather Service.

• Buy all the materials you’ll need ahead of time. That includes additional lengths of mooring lines, screw anchors, fenders, fender boards, chafing gear, and anchors.

• Assemble an inventory of all boat equipment. Know the items that need to be removed from your boat and keep copies of your equipment inventory aboard the vessel and onshore. Take photos to document the current condition of your boat—inside and out—and keep those photos together with all your other records.

• Make sure your insurance policy is up-to-date. Read and review the policy thoroughly before the beginning of hurricane season. Most boat insurance policies include a great deal of helpful and advisory information about what boat owners should—and should not—do if they incur loss or damage to their vessel due to a hurricane or tropical storm.

RESHAPING WARNING PRESENTATIONS

The center of the storm is no longer designed to be the center of attention in the National Hurricane Center’s new Track Forecast Cone.

Instead, watches and warnings will be at the forefront when the experimental cone debuts in August—so Southwest Floridians can know when to take swift action during a hurricane.

“If your area gets highlighted in the warning, it means it’s your last warning,” says John Cangialosi, senior hurricane specialist at the National Hurricane Center. That means it’s time to “get everything done and go to a place now where you’re going to ride the storm out.”

People in inland areas of Southwest Florida will now be able to see when winds, storm surges, and other serious impacts will affect them. Highlighting clear risks beyond coastal neighborhoods can make a life-or-death difference for natural catastrophes such as 2022’s Hurricane Ian, which produced damaging storm surge, winds, and freshwater flooding, and claimed some 150 lives in Florida.

“Even though areas were in warning [during Hurricane Ian, people] were still like, ‘Well, maybe we’re not going to be in the worst of it,’ or they were still thinking about nuances,” Cangialosi says. “People have looked at the previous cone, and their eyes have been just attached to the dots on the cone, the middle of the cone. There’s been a distraction away from the watches and warnings, which are what is more actionable.”

Previously, the cone emphasized the coast because that’s within NHC’s jurisdiction, leaving other weather forecast offices mainly responsible for inland updates.

“We realized we can’t ask users to go to different places to get pieces of information they’re looking for, so we built a product where we could read everything all in one place, and we’re just going to make a very visible public product out of that information,” Cangialosi says.

Viewers can expect watches and warnings to be colored in on the experimental cone, switching the order of the previous design.

“The experimental cone puts the actionable impacts up front and uncertainty more in the background,” Cangialosi says.

Approximately 67% of the time, the center of the storm falls in the cone, and up to 33% of the time, it falls out of the cone, according to NHC statistics, Cangialosi said. “But, it doesn’t tell you where the rain is going to be, where the strongest winds are going to be, or where the storm surge is going to be.”

HURRICANE GUIDE 2024

The forecast cone will be available on the National Hurricane Center’s website at nhc.noaa.gov. Residents should start checking the site about a week out as a tropical storm threatens their area while solidifying supplies and a hurricane preparedness plan.

“Once your area is under the gun, we want you to check back every six hours, four times a day, because that’s how often the cone is going to be updated,” Cangialosi says.

If residents are within the cone but the area is not colored in, no specific action is required, Cangialosi continued. Once the area is colored in, “that is the time to really start ramping up preparedness, especially if it’s a hurricane watch or a storm surge watch.”

Residents under a storm surge watch will likely need to evacuate, Cangialosi says. “If you are in a hurricane watch, you probably don’t need to evacuate, but you

need to prepare your home, family, and pets, and everything else you have to take care of.”

Since the updated cone is still new, NHC is also making the old design available for the 2024 hurricane season. This could help in case of any technical hiccups or delays.

Cangialosi recommends checking national weather service forecast offices and weather.gov for area-specific information for added clarity.

NHC is welcoming feedback around its new cone this season, particularly from core partners such as the Federal Emergency Management Agency.

“We want to make sure it is clear and understandable as people get used to it. Maybe the colors will change, maybe the graphics will look different, or maybe we will find that it doesn’t work at all,” Cangialosi says. “So, we’re going to collect feedback and refine it for the final version, which is likely going to be set for 2025.”

AFTER THE STORM

The passage of a hurricane doesn’t mean you’re out of danger. As you’re cleaning up and repairing damage, remember that you still need to look out for your safety nd that of that of your family, friends, neighbors, and emergency personnel. Should you find yourself in a situation that has the potential to be risky or dangerous, it’s always a good idea to err on the side of caution.

After a hurricane, relief supplies and other types of aid will usually arrive as quickly as possible. In addition, special disaster teams will be sent to heavily damaged areas by insurance companies, state and federal agencies, and many private relief organizations.

Depending on the severity of the damage, however, it could take several days for any help or assistance to arrive at a disaster site. It may take time to assemble and load the specific supplies needed for a particular area, and roads may be unsafe to travel. Due to the potential of a delayed response, it’s vital you have at least a three-day supply of ice, water, and food to sustain you and your family until help arrives.

WHAT TO EXPECT

Regardless of its strength or duration, a hurricane can be a traumatic experience that takes a physical and emotional toll. For many, recovering after a hurricane can be the most difficult part of all.

Imagine how things might look after a storm with debris strewn across yards, roads, and parking

lots. Tidy neighborhoods might now be in disarray with fallen trees, limbs, guttering, and wreckage thrown everywhere. Homes and businesses might be damaged or destroyed. There may be no water, sewer, working electricity, or telephone service. Without electricity, there will be no air conditioning or refrigeration. Damaged or debrisfilled roadways could be blocked or closed for any amount of time from a few days to several weeks.

A hurricane will affect everyone in some way. It can be difficult and stressful to return to your home or business, assess damage, and begin the task of cleaning up. However, by approaching the situation calmly and with patience and understanding, you can help this be a safe and productive time for everyone.

Here are some post-storm procedures and considerations—as well as some important information on disaster assistance and generator safety—to keep in mind during any recovery.

FIRST THINGS FIRST

• Wait to return home until after authorities give the all-clear to do so safely. Follow any re-entry pro-

cedures that have been issued. Stay tuned to WINK News, The Weather Authority, and winknews.com for recovery information.

• Try to help injured or trapped persons as best you can, but do not move seriously injured people unless they are in immediate danger of further injury. Call for help. Give first aid where appropriate.

• Avoid loose or dangling power lines. Report them as soon as possible to the power company, police, or fire department.

• Drive only if absolutely necessary and avoid flooded roads and washedout bridges. Allow emergency crews to remove fallen power lines and other hazardous debris.

• Proceed with caution when entering your home. Open doors and windows to ventilate or dry your home. Watch for snakes, insects, and animals that may have been displaced by flood water.

• Check for gas leaks. If you smell gas or hear a blowing or hissing noise, open a window and quickly exit the building. Turn off the gas at the outside main valve and call the gas company. If you turn off the gas for any reason, it must be turned back on only by a professional.

• Look for electrical system damage. If you see sparks or broken or frayed wires, or if you smell hot insulation, turn off the electricity at the main fuse box or circuit breaker.

• Check for sewage and water line damage. If you suspect sewage lines are damaged, avoid using the toilets and call a plumber. If water pipes are

damaged, contact the water company and avoid tap water.

• Keep your refrigerator closed as much as possible to help keep it cold. Dispose of any spoiled foods.

• Photograph any document any damage to your house and its contents for insurance claims. Save receipts from temporary lodging and food for reimbursement. Keep records such as canceled checks, bills, and other documents received for repair work or temporary lodging.

WHAT THE STORM LEAVES BEHIND

• Storm Debris

After a hurricane, it will become necessary to separate your curb-side trash. Debris from the clean-up/recovery will be accepted by priority.

• As soon as roads are cleared, raw garbage such as animal, fruit or vegetable waste will be collected.

• The second priority will be normal household garbage including food waste.

• The third priority is yard waste. Place trees and branches in smaller piles that can be easily handled by collection personnel.

• The last priority is construction debris such as lumber, roofing, concrete, and similar materials.

• Your county may accept food waste at the local waste management facility. Contact the facility for drop-off hours.

• Storm Debris Removal Information

• Charlotte: (941) 575-3600

• Collier: (239) 252-2380

• DeSoto: (863) 993-4831

• Glades: (863) 946-6020

• Hendry: (863) 675-5222

• Unincorporated Lee: (239) 533-8000

CLEANING UP AROUND AND ABOUT THE HOUSE

• Household Priorities

• Pump or bail water out of the house as soon as possible.

• Open the windows to let the house air out and give the walls and floors a chance to dry.

• Shovel mud out before it can dry, then scrub floors and walls with a brush and mild soap and water.

• Make sure all appliances are unplugged as a safety precaution.

• Stoves and Ovens

• Clean the exteriors with a grease cutter, then with detergent and water.

• Clean the insides with conventional oven cleaner.

• Refrigerators and Freezers

• Wash the inside and plastic door gasket with detergent and water.

• Rinse with a cloth and clear water. Wipe dry.

• Washers and Dryers

• Pour a disinfectant into the empty washer. Run a 15-minute cycle using the hot water setting.

• Unplug the dryer and wipe the drum and door with a cloth dipped in disinfectant solution. Rinse with a cloth dipped in clear water.

• Leave the dryer door open until all parts are dry, preferably overnight.

• Leave the dishwasher door open until all parts are dry.

• Books and Papers

• Place books on end with leaves separated. When they’re partially dry, pile and press books. Alternate drying and pressing until fully dry.

• Separate pages to prevent odors.

• Photocopy important papers because they may quickly disintegrate, even if they have dried out.

• Swimming Pools

• Remove debris by hand and lower the water level to normal.

• Add a chlorinator, as in the form

of the 10% hypochlorite granules commonly known as shock.

• Super chlorinate again and clean the filter frequently until the pool is back to normal.

• Have the gas company reconnect the heater line. If your pool needs structural repairs, choose a contractor carefully.

• Looting/Curfew

After a hurricane, looting may begin. Houses with open walls and blownout windows can be easy targets. For fear of looting, many residents stay in their damaged homes to protect their valuables. However, remember that statistically, crime is actually lower after a disaster. Curfews may be enacted to deter theft and vandalism.

AVOIDING GENERATOR HAZARDS

• Be Safe, Not Sorry

Every year in the United States, 70 people die and and more than 1,200 people are poisoned due to generator-related carbon monoxide. Follow these tips so you can avoid becoming a statistic:

• Read the owner’s manual and follow all manufacturer’s recommendations.

• Do not use a generator until it is properly grounded.

• Plug devices directly into the generator. Never backfeed your house circuits or connect your generator to your house wiring.

• Pay attention to the generator’s capacity and do not overload it.

• Never use a generator indoors, outside under a window, on a covered patio, or in any space without adequate ventilation.

• Keep flammable items away. The exhaust system is very hot.

• Never refuel a generator inside your home or while it is hot. A serious fire could result.

• Prevent electric shock. Do not use in wet areas.

HURRICANE GUIDE 2024

HURRICANE GUIDE 2024

DANGERS OF ELECTRICITY

In the aftermath of a hurricane, downed power lines, electrical equipment, and household wiring can all be potentially dangerous and should be dealt with properly. Here’s how to keep yourself and your family safe when faced with such problems.

• If your electrical equipment is wet or near water, turn off the main breaker. If reaching the breaker box or main switch requires entering flood water, call an electrician to turn it off.

• Do not turn electrical equipment back on until it has been professionally inspected.

• Avoid downed power lines, as they may still be energized and dangerous. Stay clear of water touching downed power lines.

• Do not trim trees or remove debris near downed power lines.

• If you’re collecting or removing debris that is in or around your home, do not pile it under or near electrical lines or equipment.

• If any appliances were on when the power was lost, be sure to turn them off. If left on, they could be a fire hazard.

• Use flashlights or battery-powered lanterns. Avoid using candles.

• Report downed power lines, but otherwise, keep utility telephone lines clear for emergency calls.

•

HOW IS POWER RESTORED AFTER A STORM?

Your electric provider will begin assessing damage to the electrical system as soon as the storm passes.

• Power will first be restored to essential services, such as hospitals, traffic signals, shelters, communication centers, and law enforcement.

• Next, your electric provider will work to restore the greatest number of customers in the shortest time.

• Finally, individual services are restored, or those that need reconnection after repairs to damaged electrical systems.

•

WHAT IF MY NEIGHBOR HAS POWER BUT I DON’T?

First, check all your circuit breakers by resetting them. If your breakers aren’t the issue, then: Getty

LCEC works year-round to harden the system and prepare for storm season. Utility customers are encouraged to prepare with a plan that includes special needs, evacuation, and a storm kit.

The plan

LCEC has a tried and true plan that is updated and practiced annually. The electric grid is built to be resilient. Resources and relationships are cultivated in case they are needed.

Preparation is key

LCEC has comprehensive vegetation management, inspection, and maintenance plans to mitigate the potential for outages. When power is interrupted, the LCEC team is prepared to respond as quickly and safely as possible.

When the lights are out, we are on!

Since 1940, LCEC employees, contractors, and vendors have been there to respond to every major event with a sense of urgency. We know our members depend on electricity to power their lives and we are committed to meeting the needs of our community 24/7/365.

Visit the lcec.net Storm Center for more information about Storm Preparedness.

• Your home’s power could be provided by a different power feeder line or power transformer.

• The transformer providing power to your location may have been damaged. These are often the last system devices to be repaired, as electrical providers focus on restoring the greatest number of customers first.

• Your weather head conduit (the pipe and wire extending above your roof) is damaged or bent. It must be repaired by an electrician and it must be inspected before power can be restored.

• Your home has its own underground service that may be damaged. If so, it must be repaired by an electrician and it must be inspected before restoring power.

• If none of the above are the issue, and your neighbor’s power is on while yours has not been restored, contact your utility.

• ABOUT ELECTRONICS

• Any electronic equipment that has been subject to rain or flood water may not be salvageable, and any attempt to repair it yourself can be dangerous to you and the device.

Always use extreme caution around wet electronics, especially if you’re trying to repair or restore them.

• Do not open any electronic appliance to dry the inside. Any tubed television or computer monitor can be especially dangerous, as they can retain dangerously high electric voltages for long periods.

• Unplug electronic items and allow them to dry thoroughly. While the outside may be dry, don’t assume the internal components have dried. Allow to dry for several more days.

• To speed up the drying process, place equipment in the sun, but monitor it closely. Bright sunlight can damage liquid crystal displays (LCDs) such as flat-screen televisions and computer monitors.

• When you’re sure the electronic item is completely dry, test it by plugging it in. If it doesn’t work right away, give it another day to dry.

• If the power indicator light comes on, leave the equipment on for about 10 minutes, then turn it off for 30 minutes. Repeat while leaving the appliance on for an extra five minutes on each subsequent try.

• If an electronic appliance’s power indicator does not come on, and the outlet is in good working order, take the appliance to be professionally repaired.

• If you see smoke or hear crackling sounds, unplug it immediately and allow a professional to repair it.

ELECTRIC VEHICLE PRECAUTIONS

According to the State Fire Marshal’s Office, 21 fires were associated with electric vehicles in the wake of Hurricane Ian. As their batteries are often at the bottom of the engine, electric vehicle (EV) batteries can be more susceptible to flood damage than gaspowered vehicles.

Flood waters, and especially salt water, can damage an EV’s battery, causing it to short-circuit and discharge its stored energy. That process, called “thermal runaway,” can transfer heat from one battery cell to another, potentially creating a chain reaction that causes the battery cells to ignite and burn. And once it ignites, any fire related to an electric vehicle battery can be extremely difficult to extinguish because, unlike a combustion engine, the fire can continue reigniting. Electric automobiles aren’t the only devices at risk, as lithiumion battery-powered vehicles such as golf carts, scooters, and e-bikes are also vulnerable to thermal runaway if subjected to flood waters.

“We saw a number of fires associated with EVs from Hurricane Ian. We know that the saltwater from storm surge can compromise these batteries, causing fires which cannot be easily suppressed. The best fire teams can do is keep water on the battery until the fuel burns out,” said Florida Chief Financial Officer and State Fire Marshal Jimmy Patronis in a release. “If you’re evacuating and leaving an EV or other lithium-ion powered devices like scooters or golf carts in your garage, you’re creating a real fire threat for your home, your communities, and first responders. Take this threat seriously. If there’s

even a small risk of your EV being impacted by storm surge, move it to higher ground before it’s too late.”

The simplest way to avoid an EV or hybrid fire is to move the vehicle or device away from any potential flood areas before the storm. You can further minimize your risk of electric vehicle fires after a storm by following these steps:

• Smoke or strange noises from the EV battery could be an indication of battery damage, but a battery may also be damaged without showing either of those signs. If you see smoke coming from your EV, immediately call 911.

• If the battery of an EV or hybrid vehicle is suspected to have been submerged or damaged by flooding, do not attempt to charge, start, or drive the vehicle.

• If an EV or device is submerged in salt water, unplug it from the wall before power is restored.

• Assume the battery and associ-

ated components are energized and fully charged at all times.

• As thermal runaway can occur hours or days after floodwaters recede, do not try to start or drive an electric vehicle that has been flooded until it has been thoroughly checked by the dealer or certified mechanic.

• If you suspect your EV battery is damaged, do not store it indoors or near structures in case the battery does ignite or is venting hazardous gasses.

• If your EV has flooded, put it in neutral, then move it at least 50 feet from any structure, vehicle, or combustible. Note that the process for doing so without turning it on will vary by vehicle. Follow the vehicle manufacturer’s recommendations.

• Do not attempt to open the battery pack at any time.

• If your EV has sustained damage and cannot be towed or moved safely, request assistance from emergency responders to disconnect the battery pack from the vehicle safely.

WHAT YOU SHOULD KNOW ABOUT INSURANCE

WITH CHANGES TO FLORIDA’S INSURANCE INDUSTRY, MAKE SURE YOUR COVERAGE IS UP TO DATE

The damage left in the wake of Hurricane Ian permanently changed landscapes, livelihoods, and lives. But Ian and other recent storms have also done major, if less immediately visible, damage to the insurance industry in Florida. And those effects are still reverberating for insurance companies and area homeowners.

“I’ve been a Florida insurance agent for 28 years, and I have seen many insurance companies come and go because they can get filled up with all the property they can insure very quickly. After all, when catastrophes like hurricane Ian happen, they must have the money to pay for all the homes they have promised to replace,” says Cathy Sink, owner of Cathy Sink Agency in Fort Myers.

Of the insurers still doing business in Florida, most have increased their property insurance rates. While that might pose difficulties for homeowners, Sink said it’s more important than ever to carefully review the coverage you do have.

“If a homeowner experiences a very large increase, one thing they can do is see if there’s another company that has a bigger appetite for more business and try to get a better rate,” Sink

says. “Now, (homeowners) have to be very careful about coverage, because you want to know that you have the right coverage if something happens. If a customer looks at their policy and the dwelling amount, it needs to be enough to rebuild their home. If they don’t know, they should talk to their insurance advisor, a builder, or somebody who can tell them if it’s enough to rebuild their home if it’s destroyed. If it’s not, they need to consider increasing it.”

Given the recent upheaval in the insurance industry, Sink said reviewing your coverage to ensure it’s current and up to date is more important than ever. In fact, there are several things to consider that should be part of your annual preparations for hurricane season.

Review your coverage, deductibles, and renewal dates

Make sure your insurance coverage is up to date and fully in effect. Don’t wait until you have hurricane damage to look at your insurance policy.

“Look at your renewal date and always make sure you make payment before that date so you know you have coverage. After Ian, people who had accidentally let their renewal date pass by without making a payment discovered they had no coverage,” Sink says. “If you or your mortgage company haven’t made any payments by the renewal date, there is usually no coverage.”

In addition, know how much your home is insured for and your deductible amount, and make sure you’re comfortable with both of those amounts. “Deductibles used to be a set amount, but to keep insurance companies solvent in the state of Florida in the event of catastrophes or multiple catastrophes, the percentage came along. So most of us are under a percentage of the dwelling, and most of the time that’s 2%. Even on a $200,000 home, that’s going to be $4,000,” Sink says. “People need to be aware of that and save that back for a rainy day—because it is not easy after you’ve incurred a big loss and then you have to come up with this big hurricane deductible.”

Understand your coverage

Most homeowner policies are paid at replacement costs, but replacement cost only begins when you decide to replace what you lost. The insurance company’s first step is to give you money for what you had, which might be significantly less than you expected, depending on the conditions. For example, if you lose a roof that is 10 years old, Sink noted the insurance company will cite depreciation, so you won’t immediately get the cost of a new roof. The rest will come after you sign a contract with a roofer and begin the replacement process.

Don’t forget flood and auto insurance

On top of making sure your home is properly insured, you should check over your flood and auto coverage, as well. Allowing a gap in those policies, Sink said, can also be costly.

“Many people are told they don’t need flood insurance because they’re not in a flood zone, but we are all in a flood zone in Florida. Unfortunately, I have seen many floods happen in areas that are considered low-risk flood

zones,” she says. One of Hurricane Ian’s most destructive elements was the unusually heavy storm surge, after all. “I try to always suggest that getting at least the minimum flood insurance, even in a low-risk flood zone, is a good idea. Homeowners also need to remember that there is a 30-day waiting period before coverage is afforded on a flood policy. It is too late to call and get coverage when the storm is approaching.”

Sink adds, “While you’re checking out your flood coverage, check your auto insurance, too. During Hurricane Ian, we saw thousands of autos washed away and never found again. Comprehensive coverage is normally very low on an auto policy, and it’s good to have if your car is washed away or a tree falls on it.”

Prepare and protect your property

Before a hurricane strikes, have copies of your insurance policies with you and make sure they go with you should you have to evacuate. If you need to access your policy online, be sure you know your account information. In addition, to avoid denial of claims due to pre-existing damage, take photos of everything in your house before hurricane season and store them somewhere online that you can access any time.

In addition, make sure your home is protected against storm damage— including shutters, sandbags, or other precautions. Most importantly, have those protective measures in place well before a storm threatens.

“Homeowners are required under their policy to do whatever they can to

protect their home,” Sink says. “There can be a big list of supplies you’ll need. Just be sure to get them in advance, because it can be a nightmare if you wait until the last minute.”

Be ready to make a claim

If you do have storm damage, file your claim as soon as possible. Even minor damage can become a major problem later on. Do what you can to safely repair and preserve any part of your home or property that’s been damaged. Make sure to document the aftermath via video or photos to compare with your “before” photos to show the extent of the damage.

“An agent or claims adjuster may not be able to get there immediately, but the insurance company needs to see what has happened. So always take pictures or video to have a good record of the damage,” Sink says. “Save receipts for any repair you do need before the adjuster arrives. And even if your damage seems minor, document it and report it.”

Take cues from your neighbors, too. “If you’re looking around and everybody on your street is getting new roofs, you need to get your roof inspected. You need to get your home inspected,” Sink says. “Don’t assume that there’s nothing going on. There could be and you just can’t see it.”

Finally, no matter how much the insurance industry in Florida or your policy has changed since Hurricane Ian, one thing remains the same. If you need to file a claim, remember that roads may be blocked, phone and internet service may be down, and things may be moving slowly … so you’ll still need to be patient. Getty

HEALTHY HURRICANE PREPARATION

SELF-CARE BEFORE, DURING, AND AFTER THE STORM

Even if you’ve planned ahead, actually preparing for a storm as it threatens can be stressful. In the scramble to care for your family and property, self-care can be overlooked. And the mental, physical, and emotional toll of a hurricane can linger long after the storm has passed. So, to maintain your physical and mental health before and after a storm, follow these tips.

PRE-STORM CARE

Create a checklist

Make a checklist of all the things you need to have and do before a hurricane. The disruption of your normal routine caused by the need to evacuate or by simply riding out a storm can be a major source of anxiety. And that stress can alter your sense of control. Making a checklist and sticking to it can ease feelings of fear and anxiety.

Plan for prescriptions

Have ample supplies of the prescription medicines and medical supplies you need and plan to be able to store them properly. Be sure to have extra ice on hand for any medications that require refrigeration.

Focus on yourself

Caring for yourself before a storm will help you be stronger when it strikes. Eat right, rest, don’t overexert, and try to stay connected as possible with any formal or informal support groups you rely on, such as your church, a therapist, or even your network of friends.

Be prepared for stress

The threat of an impending hurricane will put your body on alert. To ease that tension, do whatever you need to release it, whether it is crying, deep breaths, or simply moving around. Doing so will help you think more clearly and make better decisions.

POST-STORM RECOVERY

Understand your emotions

The mental stress caused by a hurricane may leave you feeling mentally drained, irritable, tired, sad, and lonely. Those are all normal emotional responses. You’re allowed to be emotional after a storm. Denying those emotions can hinder your ability to recover emotionally.

Avoid trauma triggers

Our minds can process that the storm is over but our bodies may take longer to recover. That recovery can be further slowed by seeing damage or devastation around the neighborhood or across town. Limit your exposure to those trauma triggers to help your body get back to normal faster.

Share your thoughts

If you’re having trouble focusing after the storm, whether it’s at work or in your everyday life, don’t be shy about sharing those feelings out loud. Sometimes, simply sharing your worries with others is all you need to understand your feelings are normal.

Take the time to breathe

When your body is in fight-or-flight mode, it can be difficult to slow down long enough to take a deep breath and relax. However, by doing so, you signal to your brain that the threat is gone, and that can help you ease the stress and relax.

Remember that help is available

It’s only natural to try to contain and compartmentalize your emotions after the trauma of a hurricane. But if your feelings interfere with your social interactions or your job, don’t be shy about asking for help. Check with your healthcare providers about the community support programs they offer, so you’ll know where to turn after the storm. Getty

DON’T JUST PREPARE TO STAY SAFE. PLAN TO STAY HEALTHY.

When it comes to storm preparation, make sure to protect what matters most. Follow these important tips to ensure the health and safety of your family.

HURRICANE HEALTHY CHECKLIST

BEFORE THE STORM

Create a medication list with strength and dosages and request refills at least three days in advance. Prepare a medical bag for medications, medical supplies, emergency contacts, healthcare provider list, mobile phone and charger, and solar charging kit. Make sure your First Aid Kit is ready and stocked with essentials. If you need electricity for medical equipment, preregister for a Special Needs Shelter at Leegov.com.

If you evacuate, take your medical bag with you. Check PPCSWFL.com for regularly updated PPC office openings and/or closings. A PPC physician is on call for non-emergencies when PPC offices are closed.

AFTER THE STORM

Take care of yourself: Drink lots of fluids, take breaks from the heat, and be sure to rest. Call in medication refills as soon as possible and allow at least 72 hours for refill requests. Call 211 to locate United Way lists of water supplies, food banks, and financial assistance Request FEMA promptly. Apply at DisasterAssistance.gov or call 1-800-621-3362.

POST-HURRICANE SAFETY CONCERNS

In the aftermath of a hurricane, there are a number of health and safety concerns to look out for. To ensure your safety after a storm, remember these important points.

Health Care

Hospitals and medical facilities may operate only a limited basis if they’ve sustained structural damage or loss of power. Mobile health units may be available to provide basic services to residents with cuts, scrapes, bruises, and mild illnesses. Stay tuned to WINK News, The Weather Authority, for more medical information.

Carbon Monoxide

Carbon monoxide is a colorless, tasteless, and odorless poison gas, and it can be easily avoided by not burning charcoal, gas grills, or gas-powered generators inside houses, garages, vehicles, or tents. The symptoms of carbon monoxide poisoning include fatigue, weakness, chest pains, shortness of breath, nausea, vomiting, headaches, confusion, lack of coordination, and impaired vision.

Food Safety

Food that has not been refrigerated for more than two hours can be un-

safe. Never taste food to determine if it is safe to eat. If it has an unusual odor, color, or texture and is no longer cool to the touch, throw it out.

Drinking Water

Do not assume that public water supplies in hurricane-affected areas are safe to drink. Instead, use bottled water for cooking, eating, and drinking until public announcements are made to confirm the water’s safety. If bottled water is not available, rapidly boil tap water for at least one minute to ensure it is safe to drink.

Hand Washing and Sanitization

Wash your hands often with soap and clean water. If you’re not sure about the source of the water, use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer to decrease the risk of illness, infection, or contact with disease-causing bacteria.

Mosquitoes

Mosquitoes will increase in number dramatically after heavy rains and flooding. To minimize your risk of bites and mosquito-borne diseases, public health officials recommend the five D’s of prevention:

• Dusk to Dawn—avoid the outdoors from sunset to sunrise.

• Dress—wear long-sleeved shirts, long pants, and socks.

• DEET—use repellents with DEET, usually 30% solutions. Do not use DEET on children younger than 2 months old.

• Drainage—inspect your home and neighborhood, and dump any standing water where mosquitoes can lay their eggs.

HURRICANE GUIDE 2024

EVACUATING TO A SHELTER:

If an evacuation order is issued, officials strongly encourage you to make every effort to leave the area. As public shelters may be crowded, other evacuation options may include:

• Staying at your house if you are not in an area under an evacuation order, or if you do not live in a mobile or manufactured home.

• Going to the home of a friend or family member who lives outside the evacuation zones.

• Checking into a hotel or motel that’s outside the evacuation zones.

• Traveling to a part of Florida not under an evacuation order.

WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT SHELTERS

If you have no safe place to go, head for a shelter. Lists of local shelters are available on county websites, as well as in this guide. But keep in mind that some locations may not be open and operating if they are too close to the storm and its path. Follow WINK News, The Weather Authority, via website, television or radio for the latest information.

If you must go to a shelter, here are some things for you to consider:

• There is a shortage of evacuation shelters. If you have a safe place to evacuate to, plan to use that alternate location rather than a public shelter.

• Shelters are not hotels. They do not provide any

conveniences, luxuries, or amenities. Bring your family’s disaster supply kit to ensure proper provisions.

• Food and water should be available, but there may be a slight delay in initial service.

• Cots are not provided in general-population shelters.

• Weapons, smoking, or alcoholic beverages ARE NOT allowed in shelters. In fact, arriving at a public shelter with weapons or liquor under any circumstances could get you arrested.

• Service animals are allowed at all shelters, but family pets are not allowed in public shelters. Pets are permitted only in shelters designated as “pet-friendly.” All service animals must have vaccination records and be caged. You must also provide their food, water, leash, and waste management.

HURRICANE GUIDE 2024

ITEMS TO BRING TO A SHELTER

• Drinking water

• Snacks or special foods

• Lawn chair

• Bed roll

• Pillows and blankets

• Books, magazines or electronics with headphones

• Medications

• Change of clothing

• Personal hygiene items (toothbrush, toothpaste, hand sanitizer, etc.)

• Important documents and ID (driver license or passport, proof of residence, etc.)

About Special Needs Shelters

A special needs shelter is a temporary emergency facility capable of providing care to residents whose medical condition may require the use of electrical equipment, oxygen, or dialysis, as well as to individuals with physical or cognitive conditions requiring assistance from medical professionals. Those eligible to evacuate to a special needs shelter should pre-register with Emergency Management.

Here’s what you should know about special needs shelters:

• You must register every year. Your application is good for one calendar year only.

• You must have a companion or caregiver accompany you during your time at the shelter. Typically, there are limited staff members on hand.

• You will receive a confirmation letter and instructions confirming that you’re on the registry for a special needs shelter, as well as what to expect if those shelters are opening.

• Note that, although special needs shelters provide more care than a general shelter, they do not provide the level of care found in a medical facility.

About Pet-Friendly Shelters

Prepare a pet supply kit that includes:

• Non-perishable food

• Water

• Medications

• Sturdy cage or carrier

• Collar and leash

• Updated vaccination records

Also consider:

• Keeping several photos of your pet with you to help with identification if you’re separated.

• Placing identification on your pet’s collar.

• Using a microchip to identify your pet. Check with your county to see if your local animal services department offers a microchipping program.

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High-End

Diamonds

Gemstones

Hermès

David

Vintage

Louis

Vintage

John

HURRICANE GUIDE 2024

AREA SHELTERS AND REFUGES OF LAST RESORT

CHARLOTTE COUNTY

Emergency Operations Center

% (941) 833-4000 Charlottecountyfl.gov/ departments/public-safety/ emergency-management/

* PLEASE NOTE:

Do not depend on a particular shelter or refuge. Sites may, or may not, be opened depending on the size of the storm and the predicted landfall area.

*All Charlotte County shelters are pet-friendly.

PORT CHARLOTTE

• Harold Ave. Regional Park Recreation Center, 23400 Harold Ave.

• Kingsway Elementary School, 23300 Quasar Blvd.

• Liberty Elementary School, 370 Atwater St.

• Neil Armstrong Elementary, 22100 Breezeswept Ave.

COLLIER COUNTY

Emergency Operations Center

% (239) 252-3600 Colliergov.net/em

* PLEASE NOTE:

Listen to 96.9 WINK FM, 92.5 FOX News, Latino 97.7, WINK News on CBS or CW or winknews.com for additional shelter openings.

*Pets are accepted at all of the elementary and middle schools listed below.

IMMOKALEE

• Immokalee High School, 701 Immokalee Dr.

• Immokalee Middle School, 401 N. 9th St.

NAPLES

• Big Cypress Elementary School, 3250 Golden Gate Blvd. W

• Corkscrew Elementary School, 1065 Oil Well Road

• Corkscrew Middle School, 1165 Oil Well Road

• Cypress Palm Middle School, 4255 18th Ave. NE

• Golden Gate Elementary School, 5055 SW 20th Place

• Golden Gate High School, 2925 Titan Way

• Golden Gate Middle School, 2701 48th Terrace SW

• Golden Terrace Elementary School, 2711 44th Terrace SW

• Gulf Coast High School, 7878 Shark Way

• Laurel Oak Elementary School, 7800 Immokalee Rd.

• Mike Davis Elementary School, 3215 Magnolia Pond Dr.

• Oakridge Middle School, 14975 Collier Blvd.

• Palmetto Elementary School, 3000 10th Ave SE

• Palmetto Ridge High School, 1655 Victory Lane—Special needs shelter

• Sabal Palm Elementary School, 4095 18th Ave NE

• Vineyards Elementary School, 6225 Arbor Blvd. W

DESOTO COUNTY

Emergency Operations Center

% (863) 993-4831

Desotobocc.com

ARCADIA

• Turner Agri-Civic Center, 2250 N.E. Roan St.–Pet Friendly with proof of vaccination

• South Florida State College, DeSoto campus, 600 W. College Drive – Pre-Approved Special Needs Only. Apply at: Desotobocc.com/news_dept/ emergency_management/ special-needs-shelterinformation-and-registration

GLADES COUNTY

Emergency Operations Center

% (863) 946-6020

Myglades.com/departments/ public_safety/emergency_ management/index.php

* PLEASE NOTE:

Not all shelters will be open in the event of an emergency.

BUCKHEAD RIDGE

• Buckhead Ridge VFW, 29012 E. State Road 78

LAKEPORT

• Maple Grove Baptist Church, 12777 State Road 78

MOORE HAVEN

• Moore Haven Middle/High School, 700 Terrier Pride Road–Moore Haven High is Pet-Friendly

• Ortona Community Center, 2130 Ortona Locks Rd.

MUSE

• Muse Community Center, 3897 Loblolly Bay Road

• West Glades Elementary, 2586 State Highway 731–Special Needs and Pet-Friendly

HENDRY COUNTY

Emergency Operations Center

% (863) 674-5400

Hendryfla.net/emergency_ management.php

* PLEASE NOTE:

The locations listed below are the county’s primary shelters. Secondary storm shelters will be opened only if needed.

CLEWISTON

• Clewiston High School, 1501 S. Francisco St.

• Pioneer Community Center, 910 Panama Ave.

LABELLE

• Labelle Middle School, 8000 E. Cowboy Way

• LJ Nobles Senior Center, 475 E. Cowboy Way—Special Needs Only. Must Pre-Register.

LEE COUNTY

Emergency Operations Center

% (239) 533-0622

Leeeoc.com

* PLEASE NOTE:

Not all shelters will be open in the event of an emergency.

CAPE CORAL

• Island Coast High School, 2125 De Navarra Parkway

ESTERO

• Estero Recreation Center, 9200 Corkscrew Palms Blvd.

• Hertz Arena, 11000 Everblades Parkway

FORT MYERS

• Dunbar High School, 3800 Edison Ave.

• Gateway High School, 13820 Griffin Drive

• S. Fort Myers High School, 14020 Plantation Road

• Treeline Elementary School, 10900 Treeline Ave.

LEHIGH ACRES

• Amancer Elementary School, 641 Sunshine Blvd.

• E. Lee County High School, 715 Thomas Sherwin Ave.

• Harns Marsh Elementary School, 1800 Unice Ave. N.

• Harns Marsh Middle School, 1820 Unice Ave. N.

• Mirror Lakes Elementary School, 525 Charwood Ave. S.

• Tortuga Preserve Elementary School, 1711 Gunnery Road

• Varsity Lakes Middle School, 801 Gunnery Road N.

• Veterans Park Recreation Center, 55 Homestead Road S.

NORTH FORT MYERS

• N. Fort Myers Academy of the Arts, 1856 Arts Way

• N. Fort Myers Recreation Center, 2000 N. Recreation Park Way

SAN CARLOS PARK

• Alico Arena, 12181 FGCU Lake Parkway E.

TICE

• Manatee Elementary School, 5301 Tice St.

• Oak Hammock Middle School, 5321 Tice St.

NAPLES

AREA

SHELTERS AND REFUGES OF LAST RESORT

Do not depend on a particular shelter or refuge being open during a hurri

cane. Sites may, or may not, be opened depending on the size of the storm and the predicted landfall area. There often is a shortage of evacuation shelters. If you have a safe place to evacuate to, plan to use that alternate location rather than a public shelter. Shelters are not hotels. They can not provide any conveniences or luxuries. Bring your family’s disaster supply kit to ensure proper provisions.

NOTE: Map pin locations are approximate. Please refer to the shelter list on pg. 74 for an exact shelter address.

IMPORTANT AREA PHONE NUMBERS AND WEBSITES

Emergency Operations Centers

% Lee: (239) 533-0622

% Collier: (239) 252-3600

% Charlotte: (941) 833-4000

% DeSoto: (863) 993-4831

% Glades: (863) 946-6020

% Hendry: (863) 674-5400

Hotlines

• Federal Emergency Management Agency Disaster Assistance/ Registration:

% (800) 621-3362 , TTY: (800) 462-7585

• United States Small Business Administration:

% (800) 659-2955, TTY: 7-1-1

• National Center for Disaster Fraud Hotline:

% (866) 720-5721

• State of Florida Emergency Info:

% (800) 342-3557

• Florida Department of Financial Services Disaster Assistance Helpline:

% (877) 693-5236 or

% (850) 413-3089

• Red Cross Food, Shelter and Financial Assistance:

% (866) 438-4636

• Department of Children and Families Information for Southwest Florida:

% (813) 558-5500

• Area Agency on Aging for Southwest Florida Elder Helpline:

The Federation of Manufactured Home Owners is a consumeradvocacy group that promotes hurricane safety. HURRICANE GUIDE 2024

% (800) 963-5337

• Florida Attorney General’s Price Gouging Hotline:

% (866) 966-7226

• Florida Department of Business and Professional Regulation Unlicensed Activities Hotline:

% (866) 532-1440

• Florida Department of Business and Professional Regulation (to verify contractor licenses):

% (850) 487-1395

• Agricultural and Consumer Services:

% (800) 435-7352

• Domestic Animal Services:

% (239) 533-7387–Lee

% (239) 252-7387–Collier

Online Resources

• nhc.noaa.gov:

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration experts at the National Hurricane Center are leading authorities on Atlantic Basin hurricanes and tropical storms.

• floridadisaster.org: This is the state’s Emergency Operations Center’s website for up-to-date, statewide information, news alerts and contact information about storms, evacuations, storm surge, and shelter information.

• hotels.petswelcome.com for pet-friendly lodging in Florida.

Contractor Information

• Division of Workers’ Compensation:

% (800) 342-1741

• Florida Association of Electrical Contractors:

% (407) 260-1511

• Florida Wall and Ceiling Contractors Association:

% (407) 260-1313

• Associated Builders and Contractors of Florida:

% (813) 879-8064

American Red Cross Offices

• Collier, Glades, Hendry, Highlands, and Lee:

% (239) 596-6868 or redcross.org/southflorida

• Charlotte, DeSoto, Manatee, and Sarasota:

% (941) 379-9300 or redcross.org/local/ florida/central-florida/ about-us/locations/ southwest-florida.html

Power Companies

• FPL:

% (800) 468-8243

• Lee County Electric Cooperative:

% (800) 599-2356

• Glades Electric Co-Op:

% (863) 946-6200

Donation Information

• You can donate food, water, and money: Harry Chapin Food Bank, 3760 Fowler St., Fort Myers.

% (239) 334-7007 or harrychapinfoodbank.org.

• Salvation Army Donation Hotline:

% (800) 725-2769

• American Red Cross:

% (800) 435-7669

Agency Help

• fema.gov:

This is the Federal Emergency Management Agency website, and the official website for the National Flood Insurance Program. It offers detailed instructions on how to prepare for natural disasters, including action plans and safe rooms.

• redcross.org:

The American Red Cross keeps residents informed about response and recovery operations.

• myfloridacfo.com: In the event of a storm, the Florida Department of Financial Services can assist with banking and insurance concerns.

• flash.org: The Federal Alliance for Safe Homes, dedicated to promoting disaster safety and property loss mitigation.

• fmo.org:

ALWAYS THERE

WINK NEWS, THE WEATHER AUTHORITY, STAYS WITH YOU DURING A HURRICANE

When a hurricane threatens, you may have to evacuate your home—but you can always take WINK News, the Weather Authority, with you, wherever you go. Even if you can’t watch TV, you have multiple options to stay informed with the up-to-the-minute storm coverage Southwest Florida relies on from WINK News, The Weather Authority.

Reports from WINK News Chief Meteorologist Matt Devitt, Zach Maloch, Greg Rule, Juliana Mejia, Nikki Sheaks, Lauren Kreidler, and the entire Weather Authority team are available over radio, online, or on your smartphone. You can follow storm coverage on 96.9 WINK-FM or 97.7-FM Latino, and watch live reports at WINKnews.com or on the WINK News app.

Whenever severe weather strikes, you can always trust WINK News, The Weather Authority, to keep you informed with the latest, most accurate updates available anywhere, anytime, and anyplace.

Hurricane Readiness Guide

Now is the time to prepare.

The Atlantic hurricane season lasts from June 1 to November 30. Don’t be caught off guard!

• Survey what you have at home, and restock any items necessary for evacuation or two weeks of sheltering.

• Plan with your family.

• Get organized and ready for an emergency.

• Stay informed so you’ll know when a storm is coming.

Be sure to visit publix.com/storm. You’ll find helpful checklists for emergency supplies and nonperishable foods, links to expert resources, and more.

WHERE HURRICANES FORM

This hurricane tracking map charts the areas of the Atlantic, Caribbean, and Gulf of Mexico where these powerful storms are most likely to form. These are also the regions that often bear the brunt hurricanes’ destructive forces. Although we typically consider hurricanes to be tropical phenomena, weather changes off of Africa’s west coast have an impact on how these storms are created. And those hurricanes can affect normal weather patterns far to the north and south of Florida and the Gulf states.