Hurricane season is right around the corner once again and with a recently touched down tornado in Pace, now is a pertinent time to review important tips and safety information from the Santa Rosa County Commission (SRCC) and United Way of Santa Rosa County (UWSRC). The following information has readers covered inside the home and out.
The UWSRC today put out a list of hurricane preparedness tips. In three words, the list can be broken down into “stuff,” “plan,” and “know.” The key items, the stuff, includes an emergency kit, important documents, and plenty of gasoline. From UWSRC, “This kit should contain two weeks’ worth of non-perishable food and water. Also, be sure to include batteries, flashlights, medication as needed, and soap.” The SRCC also recommends a battery operated radio.
United Way also advises planning for evacuation, especially with a mandatory one, which would cause traffic delays. The plan should also encompass any pets and where exactly they will go during extreme weather.
Finally, they recommend keeping an eye on storm tracking information online, on television, and on the radio. The other thing to know, United Way says, is to keep calm and don’t panic.
Outside the home, the SRCC recommends the following to protect the structure. First, is hurricane shutters. They also suggest bracing the garage door and gabled ends on the roof.
For added protection, the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) has a program to help homeowners. Owners may qualify for FEMA subsidies through a program called REBUILD Northwest Florida to fortify homes against hurricane-force winds with homeowners responsible for only 25 percent of the costs.
First, contact REBUILD on their website at www.rebuildnwf.org/contact. Available, too, is their phone number, 497-7024. According to FEMA, there is no income or home value limitations to participate.
Second, there is the application and inspection. The inspection deposit is $200. It is nonrefundable, but FEMA will deduct it from the final bill if they move forward.
Third, FEMA goes to work with a team of licensed engineers and REBUILD-approved contractors. Keep up with the Santa Rosa Press Gazette for more storm coverage going into this 2015 hurricane season.
This article originally appeared on Santa Rosa Press Gazette: Preparing for nasty weather