#14,270
Like 20 million other Floridians, I am watching the progress of Hurricane Dorian closely, as it poses a very real threat to life and property. Over the next couple of days - in addition to preparing my home for the storm - I'll have to decide if (and when) I'll evacuate.
Evacuating is never an easy decision, and the current ambiguity in Dorian's future path isn't doing us any favors. Five days out, and landfall could still occur as far south as the Florida Keys, and as far North as Georgia.What is fairly certain, however, is that Dorian has the makings of being a Major Hurricane at landfall- and while the highest winds will be near the eye - life threatening conditions can occur across a much wider swath.
While I don't live near the coast - my humble abode - which is an older manufactured home surrounded by large, and very creaky oak trees - sits roughly under the 2am Tuesday Morning position.
Not a place one would want to ride out a CAT 1 storm or better storm.Luckily, because I have a small network of `Disaster Buddies', I have a couple of places where my cat and I could go, not counting motels and public shelters. If you are interested, I detailed my last (2017 Irma) evacuation in A Post Irma Update.
With the entire state of Florida under the gun - and over the Labor Day Weekend to boot - finding a place to go is going to be a problem for many residents. What direction do you go, and how far? Motel rooms are going to be scarce, gasoline will be in short supply, and traffic will be murder.
Now is the time to be making arrangements for where you will go - and how you will get there - even though no watches or warnings have been issued.While I probably won't pull the trigger on my own evacuation until Sunday afternoon, my bags will be packed and my gas tank will be filled long before then. Hurricanes can change forward speed, and direction, making the current time table subject to change.
I'm also prepared to deal with a week or more without power, running water, or internet. Both at my home, and my disaster buddy's home. Its not fun, but its the reality of post-hurricane life in Florida.This morning's Key Messages from the National Hurricane Center - quite understandably - stress the uncertainty of the forecast and the need to prepare.
Last May, in Day 2 - Develop an Evacuation Plan of National Hurricane Preparedness Week, we discussed how to plan to evacuate before your region is threatened. Deciding what you will do, where you will go, and how you will get there - now . . . instead of at the last minute.
This from Weather.gov.
Develop an Evacuation Plan (Hurricane Preparedness)
Monday, May 6th
The first thing you need to do is find out if you live in a storm surge hurricane evacuation zone or if you’re in a home that would be unsafe during a hurricane. If you are, figure out where you’d go and how you’d get there if told to evacuate. You do not need to travel hundreds of miles. Identify someone, perhaps a friend or relative who doesn’t live in a zone or unsafe home, and work it out with them to use their home as your evacuation destination. Be sure to account for your pets, as most local shelters do not permit them. Put the plan in writing for you and those you care about.
Maps of evacuation zones courtesy of Federal Alliance for Safe Homes (FLASH)Florida residents and visitors should visit https://www.floridadisaster.org/ for tips on preparing and - if necessary - evacuating.
Evacuations and Shelters
Should you go or should you stay?
One of the most important decisions made during an emergency situation is whether to evacuate or stay in your home or current location. Determining factors such as your unique circumstances and the nature of the emergency should be carefully evaluated before either option is decided upon. As a person with disabilities/special needs or a caretaker of individuals with special needs, your disaster plan should consider and have options for both situations. It is also important to use all the information you can from local officials or the news to determine if there is immediate danger. Use your best judgment as no one knows your needs as well as you do.
However, certain emergency and disaster situations require immediate evacuation. If you are specifically ordered to evacuate, it is vital you do so immediately. If your daily activities require additional travel time or transportation assistance, your emergency plan should include prior travel arrangements.
Have a Pet Plan
The best way to protect your family from the effects of a disaster is to have a disaster plan. If you are a pet owner or have larger animals (i.e. livestock) it is important that you also consider their needs when developing your disaster plan.
If you evacuate your home, DO NOT LEAVE YOUR PETS OR ANIMALS BEHIND. It is unlikely for pets or larger animals to survive on their own. If by some chance they do, you may not be able to find them when you return. Prepare now and protect your family and pets before the next disaster strikes.As you might expect, I'm going to be pretty busy the next few days, and my `regular' blogging schedule will likely suffer. There is also a pretty good chance that I'll be without power, or internet, for some time after the storm passes.
Service animals who assist people with disabilities are allowed in Red Cross shelters. It may be difficult, to find shelter for your animals in the midst of a disaster, so plan ahead. Do not wait until disaster strikes to do your research. Many communities are developing pet friendly shelter plans, check to see if your local emergency shelter plan includes pets.
If that happens, you can click the following link to read some of my past PREPAREDNESS BLOGS.As always, you'll find that FluTrackers, Crof, CIDRAP, and Dr. Ian Mackay are excellent resources for keeping up with Infectious Disease reports.
