With hurricane season officially starting June 1, the Florida Department of Health in Pinellas County encourages everyone to prepare for severe weather emergencies now.

Get A Plan!

The best way to cope with a disaster is to have a plan. Following an emergency or disaster, you may lose access to basic services, such as power and water, and be subject to limited or no access to basic needs, like food and medications. The Florida Department of Emergency Management provides an interactive online tool, Get a Plan!, to help families and businesses stay prepared. This useful tool allows you to answer a series of questions and create a plan customized for you.

Know the Details

Pinellas County’s unique geography and demographics make us exceptionally vulnerable to the threat posed by hurricanes. It pays to know more about special needs shelters, evacuation levels and so many more topics. To get the Pinellas-specific information you need, visit the Pinellas County Emergency Management webpage at www.pinellascounty.org/emergency.

Be Aware

Most importantly, it’s crucial to be aware of weather conditions and alerts. Check a weather forecast at least once a day to get the latest on the tropics, and sign up for Alert Pinellas, which provides you with emergency alerts free of charge. Get more information at www.pinellascounty.org/alertpinellas.

Sales Tax Holiday for Disaster-Preparedness Supplies

The 2021 Disaster Preparedness Sales Tax Holiday was passed by the Florida Legislature and signed into law by Governor Ron DeSantis. This is an opportunity to save money when buying supplies for your emergency preparedness kit. This sales tax holiday begins Friday, May 28, and extends through Sunday, June 6. For more information and updates on the list of qualifying items, please visit https://floridarevenue.com/disasterprep/Pages/default.aspx.

Remember, the Hurricane Season lasts until November 30. Regardless of how busy the year is, it takes only one storm to make for a bad season.

For information about DOH-Pinellas, go to www.PinellasHealth.com or follow us on Twitter @HealthyPinellas.

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