SUMTER COUNTY
Amateur Radio Emergency Services Association (ARES)

 Sumter County, Florida

Hurricane Planning: During the Storm
  • ARES Webpage
  • Home
  • Disaster Preparation
  • Fires-Structural
  • Hurricane
  • Power Outage
  • Severe Weather
  • Tornadoes
  • SKYWARN Spotter Program
  • Weather Reference
  • Weather Radio
  • County Phone Alerts

    		•  If You are Staying in Your Home:
    • Pets are in for the duration
    • All yard chairs, tables, recliners, and other loose yard items are in the pool or stored including those on the porch.
    • All the flower pots are inside, including the ones on the porch (lanu).
    • The grill is in the garage
    • Containers and bathtub have been filled with a several days supply for bathing, flushing toilet, and cleaning. Drinking water is separate with 1 gallon/day/person. 
    • The refrigerator is set to maximum cold and openings of it will be minimized. 
    • Use the landline phone only for emergencies.  For the cell phone, use should be minimized.  Texting is better and more likely to get through during marginal conditions.
    • All interior doors have been closed and external doors strengthened or braced to prevent winds from blowing through the house and lifting the roof off.
    • Stay clear of windows and keep curtains and blinds shut in case debris hits a window.
    • If necessary take cover under a heavy table, or under something protective
    • Don't be tricked by a sudden lull in the storm, it may be the "eye" passing over.  The storm will resume and possibly catch you before you can get inside, this time coming from a different direction.
    • Don't use candles or open flames (possibility of leaking gas), use flashlights
    Winds are increasing and heavy rain is coming in bands
    All the traffic on the Turnpike and I-75 will be directed to Last Minute Shelters. During Hurricane Irma there was the Villages High School, the Lake-Sumter College, Lake Panasoffkee Recreation Center and one or two more locations.  These are not built to storm shelter strength but should withstand hurricane winds be a place where these people can get inside.
     
    There are two rail yard bridges in Wildwood, SR44 and US301.  Both are elevated and there is nothing to block the winds at the top.  Care should be taken as the winds aloft will be a higher speed than on the ground.
     
    Winds reach 45 mph
     
    All the emergency vehicles are parked when the winds reach this speed; so calls to the 911 Center cannot be responded to until the winds subside.  Even then, there is no guarantee of a quick response as there may be trees blocking the road or flooding that would delay a responding unit.  These should be the last vehicles on the roads until the wind subsides.
     
    What not to do
    Going outside during the storm is not the best way to spend one time.  If you are hit by something blowing by, there is no one to call for help.  Also, stay away from windows and close the shutters or curtains on the side that the wind is coming from.
     
    What to do during the storm
    It somewhat depends on whether there is electricity or not.  Your choices might be sleeping, reading, board games, card games, watching TV (Orlando Channel 9 if you can reach it), listening to the radio (640 AM Villages or 99.7 FM Ocala or best hurricane news, 96.5 Orlando), and eating foods that require minimum prep.
     
    Hurricane Embedded Tornadoes
    It is not unusual for Hurricane to also have tornadoes.  If any of your communications sources (weather radio, TV, radio) warns of a tornado or you hear the sound, move to your safe room and protect yourself.

     

     Last Update:  06/27/2018    © Copyright Sumter County ARES. All Rights Reserved.