DeLand, FL - Tomorrow is the first official day of hurricane season and Helene Wetherington, Volusia County Emergency Management Director, has some tips and suggestions for residents.
Wetherington suggests sitting down to a spaghetti dinner in connection with the food-centric nickname for plotting the potential path of storms, the “spaghetti model.” “The beginning of hurricane season is a great time to ensure that every family member understands what their disaster plan is whether it is evacuating or staying at home and ensuring that they have all the supplies they need to weather out the storm.”
If you live in an area that is frequently evacuated for hurricanes and other severe weather, Wetherington says those residents should make sure to have supplies that they need. They should have important documents and identification of where they live. This is in case secured re-entry into their area needs I.D.
There are shelters specifically for those with special needs and those who need supplemental oxygen. Make sure to pre-register for the Volusia County Special Needs Shelters on the Florida Special Needs Registry website.
A detailed storm preparedness plan checklist can be found at volusia.org. You can also check VCEM’s Facebook page for updated information.
Wetherington says the current hurricane preparedness sales tax holiday, that runs through June 6, 2021, is meant to help residents prepare by purchasing the supplies that they’ll need, minus the sales tax. “That will include things such as reusable ice packs, batteries, flashlights, bungee cords, coolers, tarps, generators. There’s a complete list of all of the tax-free items on the Florida revenue website."
