PINELLAS COUNTY, Fla. — Every 5 years, Pinellas County officials assess the area's risk against both natural and man-made hazards, including hurricanes.
This year, local leaders want to hear from residents about what hazards they are aware of in the area.
"If we're not prepared, then we can't be ready when those things happen," said Arron Stowell, a long- time resident of Florida.
Stowell said when it comes to safety, you can never plan too much.
"As we have witnessed many years in the past, a hurricane can be heading in one direction, and then it changes, goes somewhere else,, and completely devastates that area, so the more prepared we are the better," said Stowell.
Pinellas County leaders are working to update the local mitigation strategy, which helps the county prepare for future disasters, like hurricanes, wildfires, sinkholes, flooding, and more.
"Looks at how we can reduce or completely eliminate our risk to different kinds of hazards," said Smita Ambadi, a planner with the county.
The strategy is updated every five years, and right now, the county is asking residents to help.
"Any kind of hazards that they experience or they have experienced, or they think could happen, and would impact them in any way, their residence or their businesses," said Ambadi.
Ambadi said residents can report hazards, like areas that tend to flood or need a sea wall, debris that needs to be moved, or unsafe infrastructure.
"The traffic lights that are hanging from the wires they are extremely dangerous when heavy winds are blowing," said Stowell.
Stowell, who owns a dance studio in Clearwater, said improvements like these are critical.
"It's really important, especially in a community that is also a tourist community, where we have people coming in and out of town all of the time," said Stowell.
A state report says hundreds of frail elderly nursing home residents were stacked side by side, head to toe in a small church with no working air conditioning or refrigerator during Hurricane Helene.
