HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY, Fla. — Experts have been tracking trends in hurricane preparedness, especially after a few intense storm seasons.
“We’re going to be recovering for years from just this last season,” said Ratna Dougherty, an Assistant Professor in the School of Public Affairs at the University of South Florida.
She’s a local government scholar and has researched emergency management.
WATCH Floridians now more serious about hurricane preparedness, expert says
She believes that historically, Floridians have been very relaxed about hurricane preparedness.
“I’m a native Floridian, so I can tell you, it doesn’t exist. There’s no preparedness. Growing up, you were just excited, you were like 'yes, there’s no school for like a week,'” said Dougherty.
However, that’s now starting to change.
“I do think that it’s shifted. We have seen a lot of research and even practice, especially this last year," said Dougherty.
With Hurricane Debby’s flooding, Hurricane Helene’s storm surge, and Hurricane Milton’s wind damage from just last year alone, people are paying more attention, realizing how critical it is to be prepared.
“I think we’re going to see a lot more folks take it seriously this year because so many more people were affected,” said Dougherty.
“It is more critical than ever. And I think one thing we’re seeing is that the last few years have made it even more clear to at least the Tampa Bay region that you need to be prepared. I think we’re so used to just taking things as they come because we’re used to hurricanes, but that’s no longer the case because people are being affected in areas that you wouldn’t have thought before,” she added.
If you’re still getting ready for this hurricane season, she suggests adding these things to your to-do list:
- Get to know your neighbors. They can be the first line of communication in an emergency.
- Put all of your important documents, like passports, green cards, and insurance papers, into waterproof bags.
- Make sure to have an extra supply of any medication you might need.
- Know your flood zone.
- Look up shelters so you know where to go, especially if you have pets or someone with special needs in your family.
- Don’t panic buy non-perishables. It’s recommended to have three to 7 days of food supply.
“Don’t buy like five things of peanut butter. You’re not going to need that many. Don’t go into debt for, like, your rent or other important things because you think you’re going to need an ample amount of perishables,” said Dougherty.
For more details on how to get prepared and what to pack in your emergency kits, visit your county website.
