The time has come: The 2021 Atlantic hurricane season started on Tuesday and will last until November 30th. And now it’s time to prepare, authorities say, not days before wind, rain and floods.
For Gainesville and Alachua Counties, experts say the following should be noted.
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Plan ahead
Angie Lindsey is the point of contact for the University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences with EDEN, the national Extension Disaster Education Network. Her advice is to plan and plan early, even if it’s just a quick chat with family or the directions of a single note card.
“I think, as Floridians, we think, ‘Oh, we got this. We’ve been through this. We’ve seen tropical storms. We’ve seen hurricanes.’ But I really want to emphasize the importance of having a plan, “said Lindsey. “At least having a plan and writing some things down is really important.”
In the moment, with adrenaline, potential injuries and a literal hurricane overhead, everyone is about to forget something important. But online templates and checklists can help you remember everything you need now to avoid stress later.
Lindsey recommended the EDEN Family Communication Template, which can be found online at. is to be found pieceenter.com. It includes a family hangout that picks up children from school, social media communications, family contact names and numbers, and information for general practitioners and insurance companies.
Www.ready.gov/plan and floridadisaster.org/getaplan/ are two other prep guides recommended by Jen Grice, assistant director of emergency management for Alachua County, and district manager David McIntire, Gainesville Fire Rescue’s emergency manager for the city of Gainesville.
They can specialize in individuals, families, businesses, and more with special needs.
Where can I find information before, during and after a hurricane
To stay up to date on emergency alerts, storm information, and more, sign up for city and county news, as well as follow the government, science, and news social media accounts that cover your neighborhood.
Alert GNV is the municipal emergency notification system. Anyone can register on the website and choose from email, SMS, mobile and landline notifications for information like evacuations, road closures and more
The county equivalent, Alert Alachua, can also be found online at alachuacounty.us/depts/em/pages/alertalachua.aspx.
Alachua County Public Schools notifications can be found on the county Twitter page. twitter.com/AlachuaSchools.
UF and Santa Fe College issue warnings ufalert.ufl.edu/category/ufalert/ and news.sfcollege.edu/category/police/, respectively.
The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration and the National Weather Service track and forecast hurricanes online using the National hurricane center. The center has a Twitter page that publishes storm information, twitter.com/NWSNHC, as well as more specific accounts like the Tropical Analysis and Forecast Branch, twitter.com/NHC_TAFB, and the storm surge unit, twitter.com/NHC_Surge.
The National Weather Service’s Jacksonville office covers Gainesville. It can be found online at www.wetter.gov/jax/ and on Twitter at twitter.com/NWSJacksonville.
The Florida Public Radio Emergency Network plays locally on WUFT News and National Public Radio Station, 89.1 FM, located at the UF College of Journalism and Communications.
Chief Meteorologist Jeff Huffman said every Floridian should have an emergency weather radio or consider tune in to hurricane information from their vehicles, as radio is often the last form of communication left when power and cellular go down.
“We encourage everyone to remember that every storm is unique and you cannot assume that the outcome for your neighborhood or home will be the same as any previous event,” he said. “We encourage people to stay up to date on every event and make the best decisions that can save their lives or property.”
What to include in your kit
UF IFAS and EDEN have a simple civil protection checklist that you can use to make sure you and your loved ones are prepared for a hurricane. The list can be found online at pieceenter.com, provides tips for calculating the amount of water you need, keeping pets, and using a generator.
Here are some things to be sure of:
- a hand operated can opener
- Portable telephone chargers
- important documents in a closed, watertight container
- cash register
- a two-week supply of medication for people and pets in your home
- Face masks and hand sanitizers
- pillows and blankets
- additional clothing
- a battery operated radio
- first aid kit
- Flashlights
- Sufficiently stable food for humans and animals for one week, such as ready-to-eat canned meat or packaged meat pieces, jerky meat, peanut butter, protein bars, muesli, crackers, dried fruits and canned vegetables
- Plastic bags for storage
- clean water
- Toiletries and hygiene products, including period care and bug spray
- Batteries
- Entertainment such as books, puzzles, and writing and drawing implements
Now is the time to buy supplies, said Grice and Lindsey. Add a few at a time to your regular shopping list and stock up early to avoid last-minute stress and empty shelves.
“It only takes one hurricane to really affect our community,” said Grice. “The better everyone is prepared individually, the better we are.”
How to prepare your property
Alachua County does not have pre-designated evacuation zones, although officials can order evacuations if necessary.
In the district there are flood zones for low-lying areas that could be affected by heavy rainfall. You can search for addresses to see what zone and danger zone your home is in on the county’s floodplain map, which can be found online on the county’s website. www.alachuacounty.us/Pages/floodzones.aspx.
It is also a good idea to call your insurance company now. Is your flood insurance up to date? Do your home and vehicles have hurricane damage coverage? Make sure you know your policy well before a disaster strikes.
To protect yourself and the city, Chief McIntire said, you can call local authorities to clear any nearby gullies and dead trees before a major storm, rather than after a major storm.
And in the days leading up to a hurricane, he said, a few simple jobs can clean up debris and improve the safety of your home and property.
- Clean up any debris from your yard.
- Secure all patio furniture and decorations by tying them up, sinking them to the bottom of your pool if you have one, or bringing them indoors. And yes, that includes your bird feeders and pink plastic flamingos.
- Fix loose fence boards and close gates.
- If you don’t have a garage to protect vehicles or boats, park it behind a wall of your home or complex that can protect it from the wind.
If you have farm animals, McIntire said, make sure they are properly tagged in case they are released during the storm. These can be tags, brands or even materials woven into tails.
Close their gates, he said, and give them food and water. For more information on agriculture and livestock, please visit the IFAS website, desaster.ifas.ufl.edu/landwirtschaft–vieh/.
And if you plan to use a portable generator for electricity during a storm, don’t leave it running indoors with poor ventilation or even in a garage, he said. Put it outside to avoid fatal carbon monoxide poisoning, but be sure to keep it out from the rain as well, as water and electricity don’t mix well.
For other home preps like sandbag formation and property lining, Grice said, the Alachua County’s website will post information about when and where to pick up sand before major storms.
Evacuations and shelters
Alachua County and the Florida Department of Health in Alachua County are working together to provide local shelter during major storms. There are 20 in the area, Grice said, found in schools and other properties.
There is no public list available unless accommodation is used, she said to prevent people from planning ahead of time to stay in a place that ends up not being open. But there are a few different types of accommodations that you should be aware of.
Some are special shelters for those who depend on electricity, oxygen, and other medical needs. Others are pet-friendly and come with boxes for dogs and cats, Grice said. And all of them have COVID-19 policies because of the pandemic.
Masks are encouraged, she said. The space has been increased from 20 to 60 feet per person to allow for social distancing. Each shelter can isolate people if necessary. And while vaccination status is not asked upon entry, a number of other standard health questions will help you decide which shelter to put you in.
“If you’re convinced of it, it doesn’t mean you won’t find shelter,” said McIntire. “But we will take these extra precautions.”
Alternatively, if you want to evacuate the city or county, plan your route in advance. Don’t panic and buy more gas than you need as it can create temporary shortages. And just go as far as you need to be on the safe side, he said.
Limited travel can avoid additional expenses for your family such as high hotel and restaurant costs. And it can minimize traffic jams on major highways, McIntire said.
If possible, he advised staying with friends or family in a well-built, contemporary home just outside the evacuation or impact zone.
“Unfortunately there is a certain complacency,” he said. “People assume the outcome will be the same as a previous experience, but every storm is different.”
