Words from Sheriff Bob Gualtieri
With hurricane season upon us, it is time to prepare yourselves and your families for any potential storms that could hit the area. Having an emergency preparedness kit and plan is essential in keeping your loved ones safe. While citizens are making their safety plans, deputies with the Pinellas County Sheriff’s Office are also preparing themselves to assist those in need in case of an emergency. A select group of deputies are a part of the Hurricane Deployment Team and are trained in specific areas to ensure your safety in the event of a storm here in Pinellas County or in other areas of the country.
There are 90 deputies that make up the Hurricane Deployment Team. There are three teams of 30 deputies that are deployed out to areas in need after a major storm. Each team is trained to be self-sufficient in areas with no food, water or electricity. They set up on site and are prepared to be deployed for10 to 14 days before being relieved by the next team and returning home.
During the month of May, deputies assigned to the Hurricane Deployment Team were given eight hours of hands-on training to get a feel for some of the equipment they have available to them. The training was held outside in a heavily wooded area in North Pinellas County. During the training, the teams were broken up into smaller groups and were given a specific training area to begin. The training areas included ATV/Mule training, tent set up/break down and Humvee training. Throughout the day, groups rotated to every training area to ensure they were cross-trained in each.
There have been many times when heavy rains hit Pinellas County and the streets have flooded, leaving residents stuck inside their homes or stranded on the side of the road with their vehicles. Deputies trained to drive Humvees through high standing water, over high and low hills, through heavy mud and thick grass. They learned ways to rescue those in need who are unable to be reached by car. Deputies were taught the ins and outs of the Humvees and how they can be used to assist during a deployment or here in Pinellas County after a large storm.
Sheriff’s deputies are usually seen driving ATV’s and Mules on the beautiful beaches of Pinellas County. What you may not know is that they can also be of great assistance to our deputies after a storm. These off road vehicles are very helpful to use when driving through wooded areas with downed trees or in heavy mud and water. During their training, deputies were taught how to properly handle the ATV while turning and riding up and down hills or on uneven terrain.
Lastly, deputies had the opportunity to assemble a 20 foot by 40 foot tent. Deputies started from scratch with all parts in a large box and put the tent together as a team. During deployment, the team is able to use the tent for safety briefings, sleeping quarters, eating meals and other functions as needed. After each piece was in place, the team was instructed to unassemble the tent and place it back into the box so it would be ready for the next group.
The Pinellas County Sheriff’s Office Hurricane Deployment Team is ready to be deployed to various areas of the country, as needed, should a major storm hit and our help is requested. Our deputies have the proper training to assist in a variety of ways. Deputies have been instructed to have their deployment kits ready to go in the event they get a call to leave on short notice. These types of hands on training and the equipment available to our deputies allow them to lead the way to a safer Pinellas.
Storm Names 2014 Season
Arthur, Bertha, Cristobal , Dolly, Edouard, Fay, Gonzalo, Hanna, Isaias, Josephine, Kyle, Laura, Marco, Nana, Omar, Paulette, Rene, Sally, Teddy, Vicky & Wilfred
Helpful Hurricane Links
– Downloadable, printable hurricane tracking map: sptimes.com/StormWatch/HF.10.html
– Helping children cope with disaster: http://www.ready.gov/kids/parents/coping
– Hurricane preparedness official website for Federal Government – includes downloadable pdf form to be filled out in advance of storm with addresses, phone numbers and critical information to help your relatives find you after a storm. http://www.fema.gov/areyouready/– Pinellas County Emergency Management Links: pinellascounty.org/emergency/default.htm
South Pinellas Hurricane Shelters
– Bauder Elementary School, 12755 86th Ave N, Seminole
– John Sexton Elementary School, 1997 54th Ave. N., St. Petersburg
– Lealman Intermediate, 4900 28th St. N, St. Petersburg
– Northside Baptist Church, 6000 38th Ave. N, St. Petersburg
– New Heights Elementary School, 3901 37th St. N, St. Petersburg
– St. Petersburg High School, 2501 5th Ave. N, St. Petersburg
– Fairmount Park Elementary School, 575 41st St. S, St. Petersburg
– Boca Ciega High School, 924 58th St. S, Gulfport
– Gibbs High School, 850 34 St. S, St. Petersburg
– John Hopkins Middle School, 701 16th St. S, St. Petersburg
– Campbell Park Elementary School, 1051 7th Ave. S, St. Petersburg
– Jamerson Elementary School, 1200 37th St. S., St. Petersburg
– Gulfport Elementary School, 2014 52nd St. S, Gulfport
– Thurgood Marshall Middle School, 3901 22 Ave. S, St. Petersburg
– James Sanderlin Elementary School, 2350 22 Ave. S, St. Petersburg
PINELLAS COUNTY RESIDENTS SHOULD RE-REGISTER FOR FirstCall SERVICE
Pinellas County’s FirstCall service is free to county residents and gives emergency managers multiple ways to get the word out whenever an emergency situation arises. Residents simply register their contact information with the FirstCall Emergency Notification Service, and an automated message will be sent to alert subscribers.
– This emergency notification service is provided by Pinellas County’s Emergency Management Department to relay information in the event of an emergency situation
– Each member of the subscriber’s household who would like to receive emergency notifications can register with this free service
– Subscribers will receive a notification on each contact method they provide – by phone, text message or email
– An automated system will call land lines and cellphones at the same time an email and text message will go out, giving users the maximum opportunity to receive the message
– The FirstCall network allows emergency managers to send out alerts to the county as a whole or to smaller, more specific geographic areas
– It’s easy to sign up for this FREE service:Visit alertregistration.com/PinellasCoFLEMS/ or Call (866) 484-3264
– All contact information will remain protected and confidential
– Due to the change to FirstCall from our previous automated calling system, residents will need to re-register with FirstCall. The Citizen Notification Service information previously provided will be kept and used until December 31, 2014.
IT’S NOW FOR ALL HAZARDS
Pinellas County’s award-winning hurricane preparedness guide has served our residents well since it was first introduced during the 2006 hurricane season. Over those years, the content has been updated, refined and evaluated by citizen focus groups to ensure it is easy to use.
But there has always been something missing: What about the other threats that could potentially affect the county? Whether it’s wildfire, tornadoes or pandemic, these disasters could bring a great deal of damage and harm to our communities.
To address this need, the 2014 guide is now a fully-featured all-hazards publication, including information you need to know about other disasters – from hazardous materials spills to flooding from heavy rains.
What about the important hurricane information?
It’s still in there, with additional stories about preparing for storms in 2014, including updated shelter listings, standard preparedness messages and new articles such as how to maximize battery life in your portable devices so you can continue to receive news well after the storm has passed.
El Niño / La Niña WHAT does that MEAN?
The atmosphere is a very large & complicated place. Sometimes, events half a world away can have a tremendous effect on the weather we experience locally. This statement couldn’t possibly be any more true when it comes to a phenomenon known as El Niño.
An El Niño event happens when the waters in the tropical Pacific Ocean are warmer than normal.
While this may not seem like that big of a deal, it has an enormous worldwide impact. For some areas of the world such as eastern Australia, it can plunge those areas into crippling drought. For other areas such as Florida, it can lead to far more frequent rainstorms.
The Atlantic hurricane season is also profoundly impacted by an El Niño event. Because the warmer water introduces more energy into the atmosphere, the trade winds that blow in the tropics tend to be stronger. This interferes with hurricane formation, typically leading to fewer and less powerful storms. Remember, this isn’t a guarantee. The 1998 Atlantic hurricane season featured Hurricane Mitch, a deadly Category 5 storm that devastated Central America.
While El Niño can make for less active hurricane seasons, it can make the winter and spring storms we get in Florida much more destructive. The deadliest tornado outbreak in the state’s history – the 1998 Kissimmee storm that killed 42 Central Florida residents in the early morning hours – occurred during a particularly strong El Niño event.
Learn more about El Niño (& its temperamental little sister La Niña – cooler than normal tropical Pacific waters), visit the El Niño Wikipedia entry at wikipedia.org/wiki/El_Ni%C3%B1o.
Hurricane & Safety News: pinellascounty.org/newsletters/e-lert/Hurricane_news.html
VITAL DOCUMENTS TO TAKE ALONG*
If you have to evacuate, here’s a list of necessary and hard-to-replace documents you should have “ready to go” in a waterproof, lockable container.
– Insurance policies with agent contacts
– Checkbook/checking & savings account passbooks
– Credit cards
– Safe deposit box key
– Birth, death & marriage certificates; divorce decree
– Will and power of attorney
– Social Security card & records
– Military records
– Medical records (Living Will, health care surrogacy, etc.)
– Health/Pharmacy insurance cards
– Retirement Account records
– Recent pay stubs (to document employment to collect benefits)
– Tax Returns
– Car Titles & Registrations
– Mortgage Deeds or Rental Lease/agreement
– Warranties & receipts
– Passports & Green Cards
– Food Stamps, WIC or other benefit cards/paperwork
– List of important phone numbers (relatives, bank, etc.)
– Disc on which you back up computer files before evacuation
– Home Inventory (on paper, disc or video)
– A few family photos or other irreplaceable memorabilia
* Preparedness List Courtesy of St. Petersburg Times
HURRICANE SURVIVAL SUPPLY LIST
Your hurricane “survival” plan should include supplies for SEVEN days away from your home.
– One gallon bottled water per person/per day
– Non-perishable food
– Mechanical can opener
– First aid kit
– Prescription medications
– Clean clothes
– Portable radio
– Flashlight for each family member
– Extra batteries in all needed sizes
– Car charger for cell phone
– Large plastic garbage bags
– Candles
– Matches & lighter
– Waterless antibacterial hand soap
– Moist towelettes (like Wet Ones)
– Toilet paper & paper towels
– One large cooler
– Gas cans
– Non-portable plug-in-the-wall phone
– Paperback books & playing cards
– Plastic tarps for temporary roof or window repair
– Hammer, nails, screwdrivers, pliers
* Survival Supply List Courtesy of St. Petersburg Times