National Hurricane Survival Initiative

Saving Lives & Minimizing Damage -- Is your community prepared?

  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • About Us
  • Prepare
    • Reinforcing Your Home and Business
    • Approaching Storms
    • Hurricane Safety Checklists
    • Business Checklist
    • Social Media and Disaster Preparedness
    • Evacuating Before the Storm
    • Returning Home
    • More Resources
  • Storm Stats
    • Wind Damage
    • Water Damage
    • Disaster Rankings
  • Blog
  • IQ Quiz
  • Media Kit
  • Contact
  • Get Ready, Florida!
    • Related Articles

Unchartered territory: when preparing for hurricanes, factor in COVID-19

July 24, 2020 by NHSI

By Kent Koptiuch
Natural Resource Manager
Nestlé Waters North America

This year, our society has ventured into uncharted territory. Once again, we must all prepare for hurricane season, but this time we do so while faced with a full-scale global pandemic.

As a professional in the business of supplying water to others for healthy hydration, I have witnessed how the threat of COVID-19 changes the ways that families must prepare for, and respond to, hurricanes this season.

As we all assemble our hurricane kits, it’s critical that we include some key additional items for dealing with potential exposure to the coronavirus, whether our plan is to take shelter elsewhere or to shelter in place.

In addition to our typical inventory of non-perishable foods, water, flashlights, medical supplies, pet supplies, and battery-powered emergency radio, our hurricane kits should also be stocked with supplies for protecting our family members from the pandemic.

This should include hand sanitizer, disinfectant wipes, and at least two cloth masks per person.

Jared Moskowitz, management director for Florida’s Division of Emergency, now recommends that families stock a fourteen-day supply of necessary medicines, along with a seven-day cache of food, water, and other critical supplies for each family member.

Keep everything in a portable cooler or waterproof tote that’s easy to grab on short notice. Every person in your family needs one gallon of water per person per day for every day of the week.

You should also keep water purification tablets on hand and consider having portable devices like water bottles or plastic pitchers that come with filtration systems to ensure access to clean, potable drinking water.

Finally, we can extend the life of our fresh and frozen food supplies, while simultaneously increasing our water supply by freezing plastic containers filled with water. If the power goes out, this ice will keep food in the freezer, refrigerator, and coolers from spoiling for longer periods.

When the ice does melt, it becomes water for drinking and washing. Download hurricane safety checklists at hurricanesafety.org/prepare/hurricane-safety-checklists/ for more information.

It has been a rough start to the year for all of us. There’s an old proverb that states, “Diligence is the mother of good luck.” The importance of hoping for the best but preparing for the worst cannot be overstated.

By taking the time now to plan ahead, we can more ably ride out, not only the lurking danger from hurricanes but also COVID-19. Be safe and healthy, everyone.

Filed Under: Blog, Get Ready, Florida, Resource Tagged With: COVID-19, hurricane, nestle waters, nestle waters north america

Floridians’ concerns about coming hurricane season spike, amid overlapping COVID-19 pandemic ongoing issues

May 28, 2020 by NHSI

Floridians cite strain on first responders, economic hits, and finding shelter

A majority of Floridians are more concerned than usual about the coming 2020 hurricane season, given the simultaneous continuing issues related to the COVID-19 pandemic. Nearly all Floridians expressed at least one significant concern – from the strain on first responders and more business closures to damaging hits on the economy, according to a new survey conducted by the statewide hurricane safety initiative, Get Ready, Florida!

“COVID-19 has created a very real, sustained sense of anxiety, and that’s even before the wild card of a major hurricane,” said Jay Neal, President and CEO of the FAIR Foundation and a Get Ready, Florida! partner. “Add hurricane season to the uncertainty of the pandemic and you introduce another set of serious issues to worry about.”

More than half of Floridians surveyed (51%) feel more concerned about hurricanes this year than in other years due to their experiences with the COVID-19 pandemic over the past few months, with the rest feeling no different at all. More than 9 in 10 (91%) said they had at least one concern regarding the upcoming hurricane season, including:

  • More strains on first responders (62%)
    • Business closures or more hits to the economy (58%)
    • Fewer shelters open due to social distancing (43%)
    • Uncertainty about where it would be safe to evacuate to (39%)
    • Ability to care for elderly or special needs relatives (35%)
    • Ability to afford supplies (30%)

That uncertainty about where and how to evacuate or find shelter may aggravate an existing problem – the tendency of many Floridians to ignore evacuation recommendations or wait until the last minute. According to the survey, nearly half (47%) of Floridians report that they have stayed where they live through a storm despite recommendations to evacuate.

“Social distancing will change the way we shelter people in a hurricane, without a doubt,” said Craig Fugate, former administrator of the Federal Emergency Management Agency. “For instance, everyone should add masks to their family hurricane kit. But if you’re told to evacuate, you still need to heed those orders and get out to a safer place.”

The economic strain of COVID-19 may also leave some Floridians less prepared for hurricane season. In addition to the 30% who worry about their ability to afford supplies, about 25% say they have put off needed home repairs due to COVID-19.

Many Floridians continue to lack essential safety knowledge needed for hurricane season. For instance, when asked where it’s safe to use a generator, 27% cite an unsafe spot, including a balcony or garage.

And while nearly a quarter of Floridians (23%) feel more prepared for hurricane season, possibly because they’ve become accustomed to spending more time at home, experts say it is important that all Floridians stock up on the basics they need to weather a storm.

“It’s important to plan ahead and ensure you have an adequate supply of tap and/or bottled water when hurricanes emerge as a potential threat, said Kent Koptiuch, natural resource manager for Nestlé Waters North America. “Emergency managers now recommend households have enough food and water for seven days, including one gallon of water per person per day.”

Get Ready, Florida! is an annual statewide public education initiative that has been working to educate Floridians about hurricane preparedness and safety for more than 20 years. The survey of 1,500 Florida voters was conducted by Sachs Media Group on May 21-22, 2020, with a margin of error +/- 2.2% at the 95% confidence level. To see the full survey results or for more information about hurricane preparedness, visit hurricanesafety.org.

Filed Under: Uncategorized Tagged With: COVID-19, craig fugate, FEMA, first responders, Get Ready, Get Ready Florida, hurricane, hurricane preparation, hurricane season, nestle waters north america, Pandemic, social distancing

© 2023 · hurricanesafety.org