How to Prepare for a Hurricane, Know Your Zone, and Florida DisasterEvacuation Zones are included in the Pinellas County Evacuation Map.
In order to know when to leave, you must know your zone.If you enter your address, you will be provided with information on your evacuated zone, as well as the closest shelter, special needs shelter and hotel accommodations.
If your home is located in a non-evacuation area, you must evacuate.
Storm surge is the greatest killer of people during hurricanes.Storm surge is not a gradual rise of water.It sweeps anything that isn't secured back out to sea.The residents of coastal Mississippi were caught off guard by the storm surge.The loss of life was staggering as buildings were moved.Because of its low-lying geography, Pinellas County is vulnerable to surge flooding.
There are a lot of decisions to be made.One of the decisions is whether to stay in Pinellas County or drive hundreds of miles out of town.
It is possible to find high ground in Pinellas County.The green areas on the map are high enough to not be affected by surge flooding from a storm.A structure that is impervious to high winds can be used as a safe shelter during a Category 5 storm.
It's a good idea to evacuate to a shelter in the county.As other counties evacuate along with Pinellas, you can avoid traffic jams and uncertainty that come with driving crowded highways.It is possible to avoid going elsewhere in the state if the storm has shifted and you are in harm's way.When it's time to head home, you will avoid the crowds.
If you decide to stay in Pinellas, it's a good idea to ask friends, relatives or coworkers if they're willing to host you and your family during a storm or find a hotel or motel in a non-evacuation zone.
There are different flood zones.Different conditions may not occur at the same time.
FEMA has mapped flood zones for use in the National Flood Insurance Program.Each flood zone designation, represented by a letter or letters, tells homeowners exactly what the risk is for flooding at their property over a period of years, regardless of the cause.All homes with a mortgage in high-risk zones must have flood insurance.
The National Hurricane Center uses ground elevation and the area's vulnerability to storm surge to determine the Evacuation Zones.The non-evacuation zones are marked from A through E.
Different methods are used to determine the flood zones and evacuation zones.A home may be located in a non-evacuation zone but still be in the flood zone because of a nearby stream or pond.Both zones must be checked by residents.
Flood losses are not covered by homeowners insurance.Residents and business owners can get flood insurance through the National Flood Insurance Program.Structural damage or the loss of contents will be reimbursed per the policy limits, regardless of whether or not a federal disaster declaration is made.
An order to evacuate may be issued if a storm threatens the area.What does that mean?
People are ordered to evacuate from the most dangerous part of a storm, the storm surge.The elevation above ground could be swamped by the surge caused by a storm.All mobile homes must be evacuated regardless of their elevation.They are vulnerable to hurricanes and flying debris.
There are two ways to evacuate.The first is to leave.The potential for storm surge may not be as great in the event of a tropical storm crossing the state and exiting over Pinellas.Emergency managers may recommend that residents in mobile homes and historically flood-prone areas evacuate to higher ground if they choose to do so.This is done to ensure the safety of those in vulnerable areas.
The second type is mandatory.If residents don't leave, a loss of life could occur if the storm surge is high.Mobile homes will always be included in the evacuated areas and will be ordered up to a certain letter zone.If your home is in an evacuated level, you need to plan for a stay and go option, and if you are ordered to leave, move quickly but safely outside of the evacuated area.
It is against the law to stay in a home under a mandatory order.The local authority can take necessary steps to provide for the health and safety of people and property.Chapter 252.50 makes refusal to follow an order a second degree felony.
Do you think the police will take you out of your house?No.They won't be able to help those who will be following the order because they are too busy.The basis for law enforcement to remove anyone who impedes the flow of an evacuate is provided by this.
Emergency managers are counting on you to be prepared and do the right thing to keep yourself and your family out of danger.If there is a storm this season, please have a plan for where you will go.