STORY by STEVE TRAIMAN
Although our annual hurricane season officially opened June 1, we can’t forget that IRMA arrived August 30, 2017 and left a $50 billion-dollar-plus swath of destruction up the spine of Florida, just missing our Barrier Islands. And MICHAEL came ashore October 10, 2018 at Mexico Beach on the Panhandle, leaving more than $15 billion in damage – and still counting.
Pinellas County Sheriff Bob Gualtieri observed. “Floridians know as well as anyone how unpredictable hurricanes can be and how abruptly their paths can shift. If there is one thing Hurricane IRMA taught us, it is to be prepared.”
‘First and foremost, you must know in what evacuation zone you reside. Evacuation zones are based on several factors, including ground elevation and vulnerability to storm surge.
“During a potential disaster, emergency management and public safety officials are in constant communication with each other and other agencies, like the National Weather Service, to ensure we are as educated as possible before making decisions about what areas should evacuate and when. But if citizens don’t know that they are required to leave, they won’t.
“Learn your evacuation zone by typing your address into the map at www.pinellascounty.org/knowyourzone or by calling the Pinellas County Interactive Hurricane Evacuation Inquiry Line, 727-453-3150, and entering the landline associated with the location in question.
“If you live in a barrier island community (all are mandatory Evacuation Zones), make sure you are registered for and know where you’ve placed your Emergency Access Permit. When a mandatory evacuation order is lifted, law enforcement officials will scan emergency access permits at designated re-entry points. Barrier island residents may register directly with their city government during its general office hours year-round, so don’t wait until an evacuation order has been issued to secure yours.
2019 HURRICANE REENTRY PERMITS FOR BARRIER ISLAND TOWNS
- Indian Rocks Beach: derb@irbcity.com 727-595-2517
- Indian Shores: 727-595-5414
- Madeira Beach: reentrytags@madeirabeachfl.gov or 727-391-3400
- North Redington Beach: townclerk@townofnrb.com 727-391-4848
- Redington Beach: townclerk@townofredingtonbeach.com or 727-391-3875
- Redington Shores: depclerk@townofredingtonshores.com or 727-397-5538
- St. Pete Beach: reentrytag@stpetebeach.org or 727-363-9206
- Tierra Verde: Fire Station, 540 Sands Point Drive. Call to pick up 727-864-9607.
- Treasure Island: info@mytreasureisland.org or 727-547-4575 Ext. 0
“If you registered for and still possess your emergency access permit from years prior, you DO NOT need to register again. If you don’t know if you need a permit, visit www.pcsoweb.com/emergency-access-permit or call the Pinellas County Sheriff’s Office non-emergency line at 727-582-6200.
“Just as you should have an escape plan in case of a fire, it is important you plan ahead for what you should do in case of a hurricane. Again, don’t wait until the last minute.
“If you plan to stay at your residence, create a hurricane survival kit that will last at least seven days with plenty of bottled water, canned or dry foods that won’t go bad, a battery-powered radio, candles, basic first-aid items, vital medications, etc. Visit www.pinellascounty.org for a list of suggested hurricane survival kit items.
“If you plan to evacuate, we highly recommend staying with friends or relatives or in a hotel if possible. However, if you have no alternate accommodations, Pinellas County has 34 potential emergency shelters. A few of these shelters are specifically designated for citizens with special needs but are limited to basic medical monitoring and back-up electricity for lighting. If you know that you and your family would need transport assistance to any Pinellas County shelter, register ahead of time to ensure you receive it. Register online at www.pinellascounty.org/specialneeds.
“For a full list of shelters, visit Pinellas County Government’s website. Keep in mind that not all shelters will open for every evacuation, so check www.pinellascounty.org/emergency or call the Citizen Information Center at 727-464-4333 to learn which are open.
BUSINESS SOLUTIONS
Businesses are encouraged to have a continuity plan to help them survive the storm AND stay in business. Owners of both large and small businesses need to have secure storage for data and files, alternative sites for doing business, methods of communicating with employees and customers and appropriate insurance. These are just a few items to consider when putting together a business continuity plan.
Click to these online sites: Subscribe to Situation Report Emails for Businesses … Appointments for Personalized Business Continuity Plans with SBDC Business Consultants; If you’d like to prepare a plan for your company, please make an appointment for a one-on-one session with one of our business consultants by going to http://pced.site-ym.com/?page=entrepreneurs and arrow down to Entrepreneur Tools/ Disaster Planning … Tampa Bay Prepares – Disaster planning … FEMA Business Continuity Planning Suite … Insurance Information from the Division of Consumer Services … Small Business Recovery Information — Florida SBDC Launches Disaster Preparedness App
Set up a to-go box for critical papers: Use a plastic, waterproof container that can be used to hold and carry important business documents and helpful forms including: A list of all employees, key customers and clients along with their phone numbers; Insurance policies and agent contact information; Back-up electronic data; Equipment, computer software/hardware and furniture inventories; A list of emergency vendors, like plumbers and restoration contractors; Copies of essential business policies, plans and agreements; Photographs of the business, both inside and out.
Business preparation tips: Take the necessary precautions. As a storm threatens, secure your building. Cover and move equipment and furniture to a secured area; Always protect your data with back up files; Make plans to work with limited cash and probably no water, sewer or power for at least two weeks; Contact your customers and suppliers regarding your continuity plans; Protect windows and glass doors; Clear the property or tie down any items that could become flying missiles; Fill fleet cars and equipment gas tanks; Turn off electricity, water and gas; If your business is in a non-evacuation area, think about having your business serve as a host home shelter for employees.
Employees need TLC: Communicate your business hurricane plan with your employees. Remember, too, that your associates may need some extra consideration. Probably all of your employees need time to prepare their own homes and talk with their families about their own personal emergency plans.
Business interruption insurance: Business owners need to think about what they would do if their buildings were unusable after a storm. Here are a few tips to keep in mind: Understand that Business Interruption Insurance will compensate you for lost income if your company has to leave the site because of disaster-related damage; Be sure that the policy will cover your company for more than a few days. After a disaster, it may take more time to get back up and running; Ask what the waiting period would be before the insurance coverage begins; Explore the cost of adding this coverage to your specific business type. Some businesses, like restaurants, might have to pay a higher premium based on risk.
Special note for home-based businesses: All businesses, large and small, are thinking about emergency preparedness. And, home-based business owners should be doing that too. “Home-based business owners should be aware that after a disaster, they may qualify for SBA Disaster Loans and possibly unemployment benefits, if they are unable to work,” said Dr. Cynthia Johnson, Director of the Florida Small Business Development Center at Pinellas County Economic Development.
“A To-Go Box is another critical item every home-based business owner should pull together. One action to take right now is to back up computer information on CDs or another portable medium. Store those back-ups in the To-Go Box too. Take photos of your home office, both inside and out, to take along. “Just like all business leaders, home-based business owners should ensure they safeguard essential business documents and information in a Go Box,” said Director Johnson. “Ideally, that box should be backed up in an alternative location in the event the home is destroyed.”
Sheriff Gualtieri has some final words for all Pinellas residents and business owners: “Finally, stay connected. Leading up to a potential hurricane or other emergency, it is our top priority to keep citizens informed so that we can all get through it together and as efficiently as possible. Follow the Sheriff’s Office and Pinellas County Government on Facebook and Twitter and look for “#GetReadyPinellas” for posts including preparation tips, situation-specific details, evacuation orders, etc. Also, download the free “Ready Pinellas” app in the App Store or Google Play to receive updates as they are issued.
“Keeping citizens safe is EVERYONE’s responsibility. We might not know when and where the next disaster will strike, but with proper preparation and open communication, we can be ready for it.”
[Editor’ Note: Special thanks to Pinellas County Sheriff Bob Gualtieri and Michele DeCarion, PCSO PR Specialist, and Dr. Cynthia Johnson, Pinellas County Economic Development, for their valuable assistance and insights.]
[Feature Writer Steve Traiman is President of Creative Copy by Steve Traiman in St. Pete Beach, offering freelance business writing services. He can be reached via email at traimancreativecopy@gmail.com ]