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By Commissioner Sue Gunzburger
Broward County Commission, District 6 |
It’s the
time of year that most Floridians just dread thinking about!
If you’ve lived here any length of time you know that our
annual hurricane season begins on June 1st and continues
through the end of November.
Fortunately for us we haven’t experienced any damaging
hurricane activity in several years, but we know that
they’re unpredictable and that’s why it’s so important to
stay prepared throughout the hurricane season. Historically,
August, September and October have been the most dangerous
months for South Florida.
At the very least it’s a good idea to begin purchasing
non-perishable food items, bottled water, flashlights and
batteries. A very useful and popular item is Broward
County’s
Hurricane Kit Shopping Guide. The eight-week guide
identifies the basic items required to comfortably sustain
you and your family for 3-5 days following a storm that may
leave you without power and potable water.
This allows you to take advantage of store specials and add
a few items to your regular shopping list each week to
complete your Hurricane Kit with minimal impact to your
budget. This Guide also includes information for preparing a
Hurricane Kit for infants, the elderly and your pet. A “how
to” guide for creating a family plan and assembling a first
aid kit are also included. You can find it by clicking on
the
Hurricane Preparedness Guide link.
There are many things you can do in advance that can be of
great assistance when and if a hurricane does come our way.
If you plan to evacuate to a shelter, pre-registration is
not required; however, it is encouraged if you plan on going
to a Special Medical Needs Shelter. Call Elderly and
Veterans Services Division at 954-537-2888 (TTY
954-537-2882). If you pre-register, you are not obligated to
go to the shelter; you can change your plans without notice
if you make other arrangements.
Pre-registration for paratransit transportation, is also
available if you think you may need it. As with shelter
registration, you are not obligated to take advantage of the
service if your plans change. To pre-register, call Broward
County Elderly and Veterans Services Division at
954-537-2888 (TTY 954-537-2882).
I use every opportunity to get the word out about Broward
County’s Vulnerable Population Registry. The Vulnerable
Population Registry allows people who are disabled, frail or
have health issues to register in advance with their city so
that emergency workers may plan a better response following
a hurricane or other emergency. To register, call the
Broward County Call Center at 954-831-4000, TTY 954-831-3940
or your city's emergency management agency.
Service animals are accommodated at all shelters. However,
if you have a family pet you must stay at Broward County’s
pet-friendly shelter at Millennium Middle School in Tamarac,
operated by the Humane Society of Broward County and the
American Red Cross. Call 954-989-3977, and press 6, or visit
www.humanebroward.com. Pre-registration is required, and
owners are expected to stay at the shelter with their pets
and care for them.
Broward County works throughout the year to improve our
emergency services. I’ve just provided some basic hurricane
preparedness information here, but again, if you visit
www.broward.org/hurricane you’ll find detailed
information
http://www.broward.org/hurricane/guide1.htm on what to
do before, during and after a storm. You can also sign up to
be notified via e-mail of important public safety
information during a storm clicking on Hurricane Update
Subscription. Please be prepared and remain safe this
hurricane season!
If you have any questions or concerns please contact my
staff at (954) 357-7006 or e-mail me at
sgunzburger@broward.org. And, to all the Dads, I wish
you a Happy Father’s Day.
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West
Broward
Courthouse
954-831-6565 |
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Main Office:
Broward Gov. Center
115 S. Andrews Avenue, Rm. 421 Ft. Laud., FL
33301
954-357-7006
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District Office:
(Open By
Appointment)
2600 Hollywood Boulevard, Hollywood Circle,
Hollywood, FL 33020
954-357-7006
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