Hurricane season begins June 1 - are you ready?

Hurricane season officially begins Sat., June 1, and runs through the end of November. In preparation for the 2024 hurricane season, emergency management would like to remind citizens that the key to reducing the impact of a disaster is to have a plan, get a kit and stay informed. Officials now recommend “One week ready” in which everyone should plan to have all the supplies needed to sustain a household (including pets) for seven days.

The first of two planned tax holidays, the Florida’s Disaster Preparedness Sales Tax Holiday, begins June 1 and runs through June 14. The second will run Aug. 24 through Sept. 6. This is a great time to check and replenish supplies. Find a full list of qualifying items online at florida revenue.com/disasterprep.

In the event of a tropical storm or hurricane, evacuations could be called for residents in evacuation zones or mobile homes. It's important to check now to see if you live in an evacuation zone and make a plan for where you will go if told to evacuate. Santa Rosa County's interactive Know Your Zone Map is searchable by address and will also show if any evacuations have been ordered or recommended. It's also important to check the evacuation zones of the streets in your area. If the streets flood, you may be unable to leave until the water recedes and responders may not be able to reach you in an emergency.

Residents who feel comfortable that their homes are built to sustain the level of wind predicted are encouraged to shelter in place during a storm. While Santa Rosa County has a shelter plan to accommodate residents, shelters are not comfortable places and should be considered a last resort.

Additional resources:

Related Pages for Escambia County:

Shelter information for Santa Rosa County: www.santarosa.fl.gov/257/Shelters

Disaster preparedness for pets and forms needed to stay in a pet-friendly shelter: www.santarosa.fl.gov/404/Pet-Disaster-Preparation

Santa Rosa County Disaster Preparedness Guide: www.santarosa.fl.gov/DisasterGuide

Location specific alerts: www.AlertSantaRosa.com

National Hurricane Center: www.nhc.noaa.gov

National Weather Service Mobile:www.weather.gov/mob

Weather radio information and programming: www.weather.gov/mob/nwrhelp#Midland74210

Weather radios may come pre-programmed. For help re-programming your weather radio, call 850-983-5360.

Printed copies and postcards with a QR code leading to the online disaster guide will be available in various locations including county offices and libraries, local chambers of commerce and some local retailers.