Hurricane Preparedness Guide for Hurricane Season: June 1 to November 30

Download the  Fort Myers Hurricane Preparedness Guide

Build A Kit

After an emergency, you may need to survive on your own for several days. Being prepared means having your own food, water and other supplies to last for at least 72 hours. A disaster supplies kit is a collection of basic items your household may need in the event of an emergency.

 Make sure your emergency kit is stocked with the items on the checklist below. Most of the items are inexpensive and easy to find and any one of them could save your life.  Headed to the store? Download a printable version to take with you. Once you take a look at the basic items consider what unique needs your family might have, such as supplies for pets or seniors.

Basic Disaster Supplies Kit

 To assemble your kit store items in airtight plastic bags and put your entire disaster supplies kit in one or two easy-to-carry containers such as plastic bins or a duffel bag.

 A basic emergency supply kit could include the following recommended items:

• Water (one gallon per person per day for at least three days, for drinking and sanitation)
• Food (at least a three-day supply of non-perishable food)
• Battery-powered or hand crank radio and a NOAA Weather Radio with tone alert
• Flashlight
• First aid kit
• Extra batteries
• Whistle (to signal for help)
• Dust mask (to help filter contaminated air)
• Plastic sheeting and duct tape (to shelter in place)
• Moist towelettes, garbage bags and plastic ties (for personal sanitation)
• Wrench or pliers (to turn off utilities)
• Manual can opener (for food)
• Local maps
• Cell phone with chargers and a backup battery

 Additional Emergency Supplies

 Starting in the spring of 2020, the CDC recommends people include additional items in their kits to help prevent the spread of coronavirus or other viruses and the flu.

 Consider adding the following items to your emergency supply kit based on your individual needs:

• Cloth face coverings (for everyone ages 2 and above), soap, hand sanitizer, disinfecting wipes to disinfect surfaces
• Prescription medications
• Non-prescription medications such as pain relievers, anti-diarrhea medication, antacids, or laxatives
• Prescription eyeglasses and contact lens solution
• Infant formula, bottles, diapers, wipes, and diaper rash cream
• Pet food and extra water for your pet
• Cash or traveler's checks
• Important family documents such as copies of insurance policies, identification and bank account records saved electronically or in a waterproof, portable container
• Sleeping bag or warm blanket for each person
• Complete change of clothing appropriate for your climate and sturdy shoes
• Fire extinguisher
• Matches in a waterproof container
• Feminine supplies and personal hygiene items
• Mess kits, paper cups, plates, paper towels and plastic utensils

Stay Informed

• Listen for emergency information and alerts.
• If told to evacuate by local officials, do so immediately.

Dealing with the Weather

• Determine how best to protect yourself from high winds and flooding.
• Take refuge in a designated storm shelter, or an interior room for high winds.
• If trapped in a building by flooding, go to the highest level of the building. Do not climb into a closed attic. You may become trapped by rising flood water.
• Do not walk, swim, or drive through flood waters. Turn Around. Don’t Drown! Just six inches of fast-moving water can knock you down, and one foot of moving water can sweep your vehicle away.
• Stay off bridges over fast-moving water.

Personal Safety

• If you must go to a community or group shelter remember to follow the latest guidelines from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) for protecting yourself and family from COVID-19.
• Be prepared to take cleaning items with you like soap, hand sanitizer, disinfecting wipes, or general household cleaning supplies to disinfect surfaces you may need to touch regularly.
• Maintain at least 6 feet between you and persons not part of your immediate family while at the shelter [by avoiding crowds or gathering in groups] as much as possible.
• Anyone over 2 years old should use a cloth face covering while at these facilities.
• Only use generators outdoors and away from windows.

Returning Home After a Hurricane

• Listen to local officials for information and special instructions.
• Be careful during clean-up. Wear protective clothing and work with someone else.
• Do not touch electrical equipment if it is wet or if you are standing in water. If it is safe to do so, turn off electricity at the main breaker or fuse box to prevent electric shock.
• Avoid wading in flood water, which can contain dangerous debris. Underground or downed power lines can also electrically charge the water.
• Save phone calls for emergencies. Phone systems are often down or busy after a disaster. Use text messages or social media to communicate with family and friends.
• Document any property damage with photographs. Contact your insurance company for assistance.

Know your Hurricane Risk

 Hurricanes are not just a coastal problem. Find out how rain, wind, water could happen where you live so you can start preparing now.

Make an Emergency Plan

Make sure everyone in your household knows and understands your hurricane plan. Discuss the latest Centers for Disease Control (CDC) guidance on Coronavirus (COVID-19) and how it may affect your hurricane planning. Don’t forget a plan for the office, kids’ daycare, and anywhere you frequent.

Gather Supplies

Have enough food, water, and other supplies for every member of your family to last at least 7 days. Consider what unique needs your family might have, such as supplies for pets or seniors and prescription medications. In addition, it is recommended that you add two cloth face coverings per family member and cleaning items to your kit, like soap, hand sanitizer, disinfecting wipes, or general household cleaning supplies to disinfect surfaces.

 After a hurricane, you may not have access to these supplies for days or even weeks. Preparing now ensures that you are well-equipped to stay safe if you need to quickly grab your go kit and evacuate to a community shelter.

 As you prepare, be mindful that not everyone can afford to respond by stocking up on necessities. For those who can afford it, making essential purchases in advance will allow for longer time periods between shopping trips and help to protect those who are unable to procure essentials in advance of the pandemic and must shop more frequently. 

Those with Disabilities

If you or anyone in your household is an individual with a disability identify if you may need additional help during an emergency.

Know your Evacuation Zone

You may have to evacuate quickly due to a hurricane. Learn your evacuation routes, practice with household, pets, and identify where you will stay.

Check with local officials about updated evacuation shelters for this year. You should note that your regular shelter may not be open this year due to COVID-19. If you evacuate to a community shelter, follow the latest guidelines from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

If you are able, bring items that can help protect you and others in the shelter from COVID-19, such as hand sanitizer, cleaning materials, and two cloth face coverings per person. Children under 2 years old and people who have trouble breathing should not wear cloth face coverings. While at the shelter, be sure to wash your hands regularly. If possible, be sure to maintain a physical distance of at least 6 feet of space between you and people who are not members of your household.

Visit https://www.leegov.com/publicsafety/emergencymanagement/knowyourzone for help finding your evacuation route.

Recognize Warnings and Alerts

Have several ways to receive alerts. Download the FEMA app and receive real-time alerts from the National Weather Service for up to five locations nationwide. Sign up for community alerts in your area and be aware of the Emergency Alert System (EAS) and Wireless Emergency Alert (WEA)- which requires no-sign up.

Review Important Documents

Make sure your insurance policies and personal documents like ID are up to date. Make copies and keep them in a secure password protected digital space.

Strengthen your Home

Declutter drains and gutters, bring in outside furniture, consider hurricane shutters.

Get Tech Ready

Keep your cell phone charged when you know a hurricane is in the forecast and purchase backup charging devices to power electronics.

Technology has made it easier than ever to prepare for emergencies, but it can be unreliable in an emergency if you haven’t kept your gadgets protected and powered up. Here are some tips to make sure you are tech ready:

Be Informed

• Download the FEMA app. Get weather alerts from the National Weather Service for up to five different locations anywhere in the United States.
• Sign up for FEMA text messages to get updates from FEMA (standard message and data rates apply).

Here are basic commands to get started:

• To sign up to get preparedness tips: text PREPARE to 43362.
• To search for open shelters (for disaster survivors): text SHELTER and a ZIP code to 43362.
• To get a list of all keywords you can subscribe to: text LIST to 43362.
• To unsubscribe (at any time): text STOP to 43362.
• Before a disaster, follow local government on social media to stay up-to-date with official information before, during and after a disaster. Sign up for Twitter alerts from trusted government agencies to get notified when critical information goes out.

Make A Plan

• Use text messages, social media and email to connect with friends and family during emergencies.
  • Mobile networks can become overwhelmed during emergencies, making it hard to make and get phone calls. Text messages require less bandwidth, which means they can be transmitted more reliably during situations when many people are trying to use their mobile phones at the same time.
  • Social media channels such as Facebook and Twitter can also be an effective way to update family and friends during emergencies. Facebook’s Safety Check feature allows users to easily post a status update indicating that they are safe during a time of disaster.
• Register with American Red Cross’ Safe & Well site to let family and friends know you’re okay. Concerned family and friends can search this list to find their loved one’s name, an “as of” date and a message from you.
• Have an emergency charging option for your phone and other mobile devices. Smartphones have become a vital tool to get emergency alerts and warnings so it’s important to make sure you can keep them powered up in an emergency.
  1. At home: Prior to severe weather make sure that all of your electronic devices are fully charged. If the power goes out save battery power by minimizing device use. Keep a back-up power source on hand.
  2. In your car: always Keep a portable phone charger in your car and consider purchasing a back-up power supply to keep in your car as well.
  3. Change the settings on your phone to low power mode or place it on airplane mode to conserve energy.
• Store important documents on a secure, password-protected jump drive or in the cloud.
  1. There are several apps for mobile devices that let you use your phone’s camera as a scanning device. This lets you capture electronic versions of important documents such as insurance policies, identification documents and medical records. Do not forget to include your pet’s information.
  2. Back-up your computer to protect photos and other important electronic documents.
  3. Scan old photos to protect them from loss.
  4. Keep your contacts updated and synced across all of your channels, including phone, email and social media. This will make it easy to reach out to the right people quickly to get information and give updates. Consider creating a group listserv of your top contacts.
  5. Create a group chat via a texting app or a thread for family/friends/coworkers to communicate quickly during a disaster.
• Sign up for direct deposit and electronic banking through your financial institution so you can access your paycheck and make electronic payments wherever you are. Federal benefit recipients can sign up by calling 800-333-1795 or at GoDirect.org.

Help your Neighborhood

Check with neighbors, senior adults, or those who may need additional help securing hurricane plans to see how you can be of assistance to others

Prepare your Business

Make sure your business has a continuity plan to continue operating when disaster strikes.

Fill out a Family Emergency Plan

Download and fill out a family emergency plan or use it as a guide to create your own. https://www.ready.gov/sites/default/files/2021-04/family-emergency-communication-plan.pdf

Additional Info

• If you live in a mandatory evacuation zone and local authorities instruct you to evacuate, do so immediately. Do not drive around barricades or through floodwater.
• If you must evacuate, if possible, bring with you items that can help protect you and others in the shelter from COVID-19, such as hand sanitizer, cleaning materials, and two cloth face coverings per person. Children under 2 years old, people who have trouble breathing, and people who cannot take the cloth face covering off without help should not wear cloth face coverings.
• If sheltering during high winds, go to a FEMA safe room, ICC 500 storm shelter, or a small, interior, windowless room or hallway on the lowest floor that is not subject to flooding.
• If staying at a shelter or public facility, take steps to keep yourself and others safe from COVID19. Wash your hands often, maintain a physical distance of at least six feet between you and people who are not part of your household, and avoid crowds and gathering in groups. When possible, wear a cloth face covering. Children under 2 years old, people who have trouble breathing, and people who cannot take the cloth face covering off without help should not wear cloth face coverings. If possible, wash your cloth face covering on a regular basis.
• If you are sick and need medical attention, contact your healthcare provider for further care instructions and shelter-in-place, if possible. If you are experiencing a medical emergency, call 9-1-1 and let the operator know if you have, or think you might have, COVID-19. If possible, put on a cloth face covering before help arrives. If staying at a shelter or public facility, alert shelter staff immediately so they can call a local hospital or clinic.
• If trapped in a building by flooding, go to the highest level of the building. Do not climb into a closed attic. You may become trapped by rising flood water.
• Listen for current emergency information and instructions.
• Use a generator or other gasoline-powered machinery ONLY outdoors and at least 20 feet from your home and away from windows, doors, and vents. If you are using generators near you. 

Helpful Links

https://www.ready.gov/

https://www.weather.gov/safety/hurricane-plan