The Florida Hurricane Season begins on June 1 and ends on November 30. The Agency for Persons with Disabilities (APD) has put together some resources and tips to help you and your family prepare for this holiday season.
- Determine if you live in a flood zone or evacuation zone. You can visit https://www.floridadisaster.org/knowyourzone to find out.
- Put together a Disaster Kit, update it annually, and keep it in a safe place. You should also pack a Go Kit to have ready in case you need to evacuate. The Go Kit should have supplies to last at least 72 hours. You can find a checklist of items needed for your Disaster Kit and Go Kit at https://www.floridadisaster.org/planprepare/hurricane-supply-checklist/
- Have a plan of where you will go if you must evacuate, e.g., the home of a friend or relative, or a hotel outside the evacuation area.
- Only evacuate if you have to.
The 2022 Disaster Preparedness Sales Tax Holiday will begin Saturday, May 28, and end on Friday, June 10. You will be able to purchase disaster preparedness supplies with no tax during this time. You can find a list of included items at https://floridarevenue.com/DisasterPrep/Pages/default.aspx.
Below are additional resources to help you and your family prepare for and stay safe this hurricane season.
APD’s Recovery Toolkit website https://apd.myflorida.com/news/toolkit.htm. This includes resource links to information about disaster preparedness, State and non-profit resources, etc. This site is updated regularly and specifically during major disasters affecting Florida.
Federal Emergency Management Agency websites https://www.ready.gov/disability and
www.fema.gov. These include additional information about disaster preparedness.
National Weather Service website https://www.weather.gov/. This includes information on current weather-related hazards.
Florida’s Division of Emergency Management website https://www.floridadisaster.org/. This includes information about preparedness, disability planning, county emergency management agencies, information about evacuation, weather terms, a planning tool to develop a disaster plan, and specific information for people with disabilities.
Florida Department of Health Special Needs Registry website https://snr.flhealthresponse.com/. Each county health department provides individuals the opportunity to register with their local emergency management agency to receive assistance during a disaster. The statewide registry provides first responders with valuable information to prepare for disasters or other emergencies. Completing the Florida Special Needs Registry does not automatically qualify the individual for a special needs shelter. Additional information will be provided by your local emergency management agency regarding evacuation and sheltering options available to you. For more information on your local options or about sheltering, transportation, and evacuation, please visit https://www.floridadisaster.org/Counties.
Florida Agency for Persons with Disabilities 