Hurricane Preparation Page & Tips for Lake County, Florida - Updated Sept. 1, 2019

This is a general Hurricane Tips & Preparation page for Floridians, and those in Lake County, FL.

by Vance Jochim, FiscalRangers.com - this is a work in progress created Aug. 29, 2019 - more will be added. These tips are not yet organized by category but will be in the future.  The intent is to have an updated collection of tips for ME, but you can copy or print it to do EARLY as well as LATE preparation for Hurricanes.  This contains embedded web links, so they won't be visible if printed.  It might be better to copy and paste a copy to a Word document or in an email document so you retain the web links. 

Updated Sept. 4, 2019 (triggered by Hurricane Dorian threat) with many new entries at the end of sections. Dorian missed Lake County in central Florida!!! When Hurricane Irma hit, I had to evacuate, but minimal damage. 

 

1. Set up a file folder, both for documents and for web info (i.e. like a Word document) to collect info and file hurricane prep pamphlets, etc.
2. Consider creating a tabbed binder to contain info on major topics.
3. Get a weather reporting radio, and extra batteries, and learn how to set it up to only notify you of major storms, tornados or hurricanes. Do the same with your cell phone, but keep in mind, radio stations will almost always be available but internet and cell systems may go down. 
4. National Hurricane Center/ NOAA- Bookmark the site https://www.nhc.noaa.gov/ in your PC browser and on your cell phone.  That is where all the news folks go for updates.  Check out their 1950's clunky formatted frequent "Public Advisories" and become familiar with types of maps, reports and terms BEFORE a crisis. 
5. National Weather Service: Also setup this service as a bookmark on your systems.  https://www.weather.gov/srh/nwsoffices . This website provides weather forecasts for regions, and is good to bookmark.  The National Weather Forecast Service site that includes Lake County, FL is https://www.weather.gov/mlb/ which is located in Melbourne, FL.  Don't rely on local TV stations - go to the source. 
6. To get FREE emailed notices of local emergency notices based upon your County, this national service provides them from different sources (not just the County). Sign up for https://emergencyemail.org/about.asp - read the "About" page, then Subscribe and check what you want.  I just subscribed, so I can't tell you if they send separate advertising emails or not.  If you have a separate email for advertiser supported contacts, I suggest you use it for this account. (Good idea to have one). 
7. WARNING about FAKE news sites:  Don't just rely on Google searches to find a news source.  There are many "Ads" that show up spoofing national sites like those above when you search for them and they mislead you into installing Google Chrome add-ons.  Skip the "Ads" at the top of searches and scroll down to legitimate sites.  Be sure you are only signing up for legitimate services and don't install apps or Chrome Browser Extensions without investigating them.
8. Hurricane Prep Box:  Set up a box with special supplies for Hurricane prep and stock it with items from your prep list, like candles, batteries, canned food, bunsen burner (camping) stove, etc.
9. Fill your gas tank early, and any extra tanks or gas cans you have.  Do that 5+ days before a storm is predicted to hit, or you might face long lines or shortages to get gas.
10. Get extra cash at banks early because if power is off, your credit cards won't work, or the lines are long or they run out of cash. 
11. County Hurricane Prep Webpage: Locate the Hurricane prep page on your local county webpage, which may be on an "Emergency Preparedness" page.
    1. Here is the Lake County, FL Hurricane Prep page. REVIEW THIS - BEST SOURCE.
    2. And, HERE is the one for Lake County, FL Emergency Operations.     
    3. Bookmark all these webpages under "Hurricane Prep" in your browser.   Review all the notices, and sign up for any alert notifications.  Review where emergency shelters are near you if your home is not safe enough.  If you have a pet, write down which shelters also allow pets.  Read their information. 
12. Research your local news station TV channels and newspapers and bookmark their weather tracking pages and they usually have a Hurricane Prep page.
13. Generator:  In a major event, such as Hurrican Irma, power could be out 3-8 days.  I lived without one, but if you have the funds, you might look for a QUIET one because some are for job sites and have minimal sound mufflers. If you waited too long and stores are out, check the big box websites and you might be able to order one for next-day delivery for pickup at the store or to your home.

Hurricane Dorian is Like a Democrat!

1. Tasks 3-60 days BEFORE a possible Hurricane
   1. Create a checklist what to do: Based upon all your sources, create a checklist.   Mine is further down.
   2. Flooding risk:  Evaluate your risk for flooding, and create a plan, get sandbags (the County website or local firestations will have locations for free bags and sand, but you will need a shovel).
   3. Food & water stocks: Stock up on canned food, 5-gallon water bottles for drinking, batteries, a radio, extra external USB chargers for batteries, other ways to save water for toilet flushing if the water is turned off.  Many people only wait until an actual hurricane is near, and then find the stores are empty, or gas stations are out of gas.  Plan ahead BEFORE any storm heads your way.
   4. Copy or scan insurance documents in a water proof bag in your go bag. 
   5. 

      Finally, the Democrats have a Hurricane Control program which will make us as safe as their Gun Control programs!
      Video or Photograph your home and assets: Make a video of your house, inside/outside, plus other assets, in case you need it for insurance claims.  Many years ago, I made a VHS tape of assets, and it later helped for a burglary insurance claim. Keep the files offsite plus on a memory stick you carry.
   6. Electrical Power Turn off: Check where to turn off house power in case of damage.
   7. Main water supply turn off: Check where to turn off the main water supply in case of water line ruptures.
   8. Drinking water: Have enough drinking water to use for 1-2 weeks in case water lines have leaks and a "boil water" notice is issued.
   9. Gas Turn off valve: If you have gas for heaters or cooking, know where to turn it off outside the house in case of leaks or ruptures.
   10. Have the emergency numbers for your local police, utilities, damage reports (like downed trees), internet, etc.
   11. Check your roof, gutters, etc. to ensure they are sound and can handle major rainstorms.
   12. Cover your windows? Have a plan to cover windows if a Cat 4 or 5 storm is closing in.  But, in many cases, windows are designed to handle strong blows, so know how strong your windows are.
   13. Eat frozen and cold foods NOW, because if power is gone, it will spoil quickly.
   14. Make ice, freeze water in plastic bottles, etc. and have large coolers ready to use if the power does go out.  
   15. Notify relatives and friends of a non-local friend you will call with updates, in case your power or phone goes out.  People need a secondary contact for you to verify you are well. You could use a Twitter or Facebook account ALSO. 
   16. GET extra cash at the ATM, because if power systems are out you won't be able to use credit cards and stores may not take checks.
   17. Relocate outside items inside: Move tools, stuff from carports, docks, etc. inside the day before a storm hits.  Carry outside items inside, such as deck chairs, etc. Remove, store or tie down anything that high winds could blow away.  
   18. Mandatory Evacuation Orders: The state could issue a mandatory evacuation order.  Devise a plan on where, what you will do if an evacuation order is issued. They are usually issued for residents in manufactured homes or in flood prone areas.  Here is the Lake County, FL page on evacuations.   
   19. Got Blue Tarps? ecide if you want to buy some blue tarps early in case of a roof leak - stores will be sold out as the storm nears, and definitely AFTER a bad storm with lots of damage. 
   20. Have saws or a chain saw ready in case you have trees that may fall on the house, driveway or road and you need to remove them.  That might also mean have a tow chain to use your car to tow them out of the way. 
   21. Test and fuel or charge any tools you might need like chain saws, etc.
   22. Prescriptions:  If yours are about to run out, get them renewed early so you don't run out and the pharmacies are closed or out of power. 
   23. UPS & Power protection for computers: Review your computer and device safety.  Do you have a UPS system to protect against lightning strikes?  If not, unplug all-important electronic gear in case of a lightning strike.
   24. Cell phone charging via auto cigarette lighter: Figure out how to charge your cell phone or tablets from your car battery as a backup. 
   25. Automobile electric 12V to 110AC converter:  Consider getting a converter that will power 110 volt electrical devices like radios from your car cigarette lighter.
   26. Solar charging: Consider getting a small solar charger to charge cell phones, laptops, small devices.
   27. SHELTERS & Evacuation Orders: If you have a home considered unsafe in stronger storms, like a mobile home or manufactured home, devise a plan to stay with at a friend's "safe" house or county shelter. Alos check if churches in your area will be open as shelters.  In some cases, huge storms result in recommendations to evacuate & leave the area - have a plan to evacuate via back roads, because the major ones may be overcrowded stop and go.  Have a "go bag" and list for such evacuations which may be short notice.
       1. Essential Items to bring to a shelter: Anyone evacuating to a shelter should bring essential items for each member of the family (from Lake County Emergency page):
          ·         Prescriptions and emergency medications
          ·         Foods that meet unusual dietary requirements
          ·         Identification to show residence is in affected area and important personal documents
          ·         Extra clothing, pillows, blankets, hygiene supplies and other comfort items
          ·         Supplies needed for children and infants, such as diapers, formula and toys
          ·         Special items for family members who are elderly or disabled
          ·         Chargers for any electronic devices you bring with you
          ·         Books, games and other ways to entertain your family and yourself
          ·         Pets must be brought in a carrier that is marked with the owner’s name, address and two phone numbers. Owners must have documentation of up-to-date rabies vaccinations for their pets. Owners are responsible for taking care of their pets. It is recommended pet owners bring minimal pet supplies, such as food and water, to a county public shelter.
       2. Here is a Sept. 1, 2019 Weather Underground article of example County Evacuation orders for some Florida counties affected by Hurricane Dorian.  https://www.wunderground.com/news/news/news/2019-09-01-hurricane-dorian-impacts-florida-evacuations-ordered  
   28. Road blockages may occur for evacuations: Realize that central Florida may seem somewhat safe for an evacuation plan, but that South Floridians may already be clogging the roads, especially major State highways, since they got earlier warnings.
   29. Synch your master contacts list with your computer, cell phone, tablets and laptop so you can use any of them to find contact info.  Find out how to export the entire list to keep on a memory stick also.  
   30. Scan copies of your most recent bills for utilities and other accounts like credit cards and keep them on a memory stick so you have your account info, website, customer service lines, etc. PLUS setup contact profiles for each of them in your master contact database.
   31. Electrical outages:  If external power goes off, be ready with your electrical provider outage phone number.  Also, have a local electrician(s) contact info if the problem is at your house, like lightning damage.  A friend wrote about this at Electrical Works - 352-460-0810.  
   32. Student class schedules: If you have kids in local schools, monitor their twitter or other feed to determine if they are closing schools.  Lake County Schools sent out a notice that schools would be closed 1-2 days after the Hurricane because many of them are "hardened" and are used as emergency shelters for locals.  So have a plan to know the schedule of your kids schools. 
   33. Waterway residents: If you are on a waterway, lake or canal, monitor water level reports AND take pictures if flotsam, fallen trees, etc block the waterway and RESEARCH where to call to get it removed. In Lake County, FL, the Lake County Water Authority shares water level reports and if they are letting water out of lakes to prepare for heavy rains. 
   34. Appointments will change:  Review your calendar for pending appointments for medical, etc.  Monitor the facility to determine if they cancel appointments for 1-3 days after the Hurricane date.  Reschedule 7+ days after the expected Hurricane arrival date.  For instance, for Hurricane Dorian, schools already canceled classes for 3 days, and an Orlando Hospital canceled all appointments for days after the Hurricane arrival date. 
   35. Tie downs for mobile and manufactured homes:  Over the years, the Florida Government has increased standards to tie down mobile homes so they don't flip over or slip off their foundations.  You should review yours and whether stronger tie downs are needed.  The same for brackets that attach carport tops to the driveway concrete. 
   36. Garage doors need reinforcement:  Older homes don't have reinforced garage doors and they can blow out, so make sure you have reinforcements, which are metal bars to brace the door and keep winds for blowing them it, or sucking them out. A few years back, tornados ripped garage doors off quite a few The Villages homes.  
   37. Before the hurricane hits, shut all internal doors, which helps prevent high winds causing ruptures in other windows if high winds get in one window or door.  
   38. City Alerts:  If you live in a city, sign up for their "alert" system, which will send you email notices about emergencies, or issues like pending Hurricanes.  In order to get State emergency funding, most cities or counties will issue a "Declaration of Emergency" notice to provide notice that they may need help from the State.  Here is an example of what Tavares, FL sent out just before Hurricane Dorian. Here is an example of the Tavares, FL Declaration of Emergency notice.  
   39. Anti-Looting Preparation:  In bad catastrophes, looting may occur. Have a plan to prevent or deal with it, including that special second amendment device.  However, Lake County, FL is not Chicago or Baltimore and we have a good Sheriff.  ( I experienced the Watts Riots many years ago).
   40. Sandbags:  From Facebook:  Many ask: what is the importance of sandbags? It’s simple. When the hurricane hits, your neighborhood will become overrun by presidential candidates taking photo ops and pretending to unload trucks. Sandbags make for a nice hard object to wallop these people in the head, knock them out and get back to business.
   41. Forecast Sources (models) for Hurricane tracks:  From Alan Byrd on FB:  "there are a whole slew of “models” run by different government agencies. Each have a slightly different take on the weather. The Euro, GFS and UK are ones that forecast the global weather patterns. The NHC takes all the different model outcomes to determine their forecasts."  The result is you should watch them with a reserved attitude.  Hurricanes can turn in different directions quickly.  
   42. Do you live on a private road that is not "maintained" by the County?  If you want County crews to clean up hurricane debris on your road, you need to fill out a right of entry form and submit it to provide permission to the workers to access your road.  Here is the notice from Lake County, FL and how they do it. https://www.lakecountyfl.gov/news_releases/news_release.aspx?id=3464  
   43. More to come...

Other Sources: If the links don't work, go to the main site and search on "Hurricane"

• Your County may have the best instructions and checklist for hurricane prep.  Here is the one for Lake County, FL.  
• Review the CDC’s “Be Safe After a Hurricane” webpage (https://www.cdc.gov/disasters/hurricanes/be-safe-after.html), which has been translated into 11 different languages.  This website is available in Arabic, Farsi, French, Swahili, Vietnamese, Chinese, Chinese Simplified, Dari, Haitian Creole, Pashto, and Tigrinya.
• Here is an article about what to expect about Hurricanes in The Villages.
• Florida Attorney General Ashely Moody's page on price gouging and what to do about it.    
• After the storm, if you live on a PRIVATE road, click HERE to find out how to get debris cleaned up.
• Twitter users should follow the Lake County Emergency Ops account for updates.    
• Know where your nearby Lake County, FL Emergency shelters are located and which are pet friendly.    
• Plan for electrical outages by getting contacts for your Lake County utilities here.    
• Check FL511.com disaster tracking website for storm status.   FL511.com provides live traffic updates and safe evacuation routes during storms. This site connects you to traffic cams, so you can check how crowded an evacuation route is.   
• Florida Congressman Dan Webster's Disaster Preparedness webpage.    
• Check ZDnet's page on using tech to deal with disasters.    
• Watch for the Florida Governor's press conferences with updates on a Hurricane.  Here is one on August 30, 2019 by Gov. Ron DeSantis regarding Hurricane Dorian via FoxNews.com.  
• Major TV networks and APNews.com have frequent updates on their YouTube channels.  Check them. 
• Special Hurricane Tip from @Jack Furnari (on Facebook):  "In the case of a tornado or other natural disaster, place wieners or cheese slices in your pockets so the search dogs will find you first!"
• FEMA reports on hurricanes, so check them HERE:  https://www.fema.gov/    They also have a mobile app, and you can get it here for your cell phone/tablet:  https://www.fema.gov/mobile-app Sign up for their app and configure it to monitor 1-5 locations for floods, hurricanes, etc. 
• Flood risk - visit the FEMA Flood Map Service Center at http://msc.fema.gov/portal/home  and check their flood maps by entering a location.  For instance, on Aug. 30, 2019, FEMA already issued a Flood warning for Astor, in north east Lake County, FL along the St. John's River. 
• Hurricane tips for Florida newbies from WFLA, Orlando Ch. 9 HERE!   <<< GOOD lists!
• Evacuation route info can be found at the American Red Cross site https://rdcrss.org/2LcJ2ft.
• Google News:  Set it up at https://news.google.com on your PC and cell phone to see most current news on pending Hurricanes. 
• Flying Missile Prevention: Inspect your neighborhood for items that could be caught by winds and tossed into your windows.  Talk to neighbors to remove them, or TIE them down.  Flip big items like picnic tables upside down so the top is DOWN. 
• Weather Underground is another major website to monitor:  https://www.wunderground.com  
• Business Owners: FloridaDisaster.org has info from the Florida Division of Emergency Management including emergency planning info for business owners. Duke Energy recommends this site. Also check out https://floridadisaster.org/business/planning-for-businesses/. y
• Lookup all local contacts you need on local websites NOW, in case power or internet are cut later.

Duke Energy Hurricane Prep Tips - Aug. 30, 2019 - Look for similar info from your utilities

Prepare now for Hurricane Dorian Hurricane Dorian continues to gain strength as it heads toward Florida. According to the latest forecasts, Dorian could make landfall as a Category 4, bringing winds up to 130 mph. We’re preparing now for potential damage and extended power outages and encourage you to do the same. As with any hurricane, plan for strong winds, heavy rains and possible flooding. Keep safety top of mind and stay tuned to local news for the latest advisories from the National Weather Service, as well as state and local emergency management officials. Here are some ways you can prepare: Review your plan Have a plan and create or update your hurricane kit. Register for Outage Alerts Sign up here to receive phone or email alerts or text REG to 57801 for text alerts. Read up Read our storm safety information. Power Outage Information If you experience an outage, please report it via our website or text OUT to 57801. You can also view our outage maps online. Visit dukeenergyupdates.com for the latest info and updates.

More to be added later!

By Vance Jochim     FiscalRangers.com      [email protected]   

POST comments with suggestions/links. 

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Vance Jochim [email protected] YouTube Channel "FiscalRangersFlorida"