Orlando, Fla. — The 2020 Atlantic hurricane season is less than a month away and now is the time to prepare, May 3 - 9 is hurricane preparedness week.
[ Click here for the News 96.5 WDBO hurricane guide. ]
Unfortunately a new model from scientists at Penn State predicts it will be more active than normal thanks to the La Nina weather pattern.
They predicts there will be 20 named storms compared to 12 in an average year.
The not-so-welcome news comes as we are trying to recover from the COVID-19 or coronavirus pandemic.
It may seem like you are already stocked up on hurricane supplies after sheltering-in-place for several weeks, but there are some significant differences in how you should approach the two issues.
A tweet by the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission sums up the situation quickly.
It all comes down to power, during the pandemic lockdown Floridians had amble access to power.
Ask anyone who has weathered a storm and you will learn that is not true during a hurricane.
So stocking up on frozen food is not how to approach a hurricane, stock up on non-perishable items instead.
We also have to keep in mind that social distancing to prevent the spread of the coronavirus is more difficult in a shelter, which is usually a school gymnasium.
Emergency managers are already working to come up with new ideas to design one in a way that would limit the potential spread of the virus but they say that shelters, as usual, should be your last resort.
Operation center staffing is also a concern.
Kimberly Prosser is the director of emergency management of Brevard County, she explained that in the case of a threatening hurricane, there could be up to 200 officials on the operations floor. “That's not something that's going to work in the age of CoVid-19, so we'll need to spread those people out, locate some people in other facilities,” she explained.
Officials highlight the need to have ways of communication. A tropical storm or hurricane can significantly put a dent in our communications but preparing and strengthening these ahead of times is crucial.
Officials highlight the need to have multiple ways of communication and suggest you make a plan today especially if you live along the coast.
Ask yourself the following questions:
Where would you go in case of an evacuation order?
Do you still have a safe place to use as a shelter?
Would your family and friends farther inland be willing to take you in while there is a virus going around?
Would you have to go to a shelter? Perhaps, there is another option, like a hotel.