Are you prepared for a Hurricane?

We all hope a hurricane will never hit our community, but it's wise to be prepared. Here are some helpful tips from the Federal Government's Department of Health and Social Services:

• Learn about your community's emergency plans, warning signals, evacuation routes, and locations of emergency shelters.
• Identify potential home hazards and know how to secure or protect them before the hurricane strikes.
• Be prepared to turn off electrical power when there is standing water, fallen power lines, or before you evacuate. Turn off gas and water supplies before you evacuate.
• Secure structurally unstable building materials.
• Buy a fire extinguisher and make sure your family knows where to find it and how to use it.
• Locate and secure your important papers, such as insurance policies, wills, licenses, stocks, etc.
• Post emergency phone numbers at every phone. Put important numbers in your cell phone's address book.
• Inform local authorities about any special needs, i.e., elderly or bedridden people, or anyone with a disability.
• Make plans to ensure your pets' safety.

For more information visit:
United Way's Disaster Resources
Hillsborough County's Hurricane Information
Pinellas County's Emergency Management