Capital Soup

Florida News Straight From the Source

You are here: Home / Archives for hurricane season

hurricane season

Commissioner Adam Putnam Encourages Floridians to Prepare for 2017 Hurricane Season

Posted on

Commissioner of Agriculture Adam H. Putnam urges Floridians to prepare for the 2017 hurricane season, which begins June 1. Expecting weak El Nino conditions, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration predicts an above-average hurricane season.
“Preliminary forecasts point to an active hurricane season this year,” said Commissioner of Agriculture Adam H. Putnam. “It’s crucial that Floridians plan early to protect their families and homes this hurricane season.”
Floridians can take the following steps to prepare for the 2017 hurricane season:

  • Have a Plan: Know what you and your family will do in an emergency. Research the locations of hurricane shelters and find out if you can take your pet. Make sure everyone in your house knows the plan and where your emergency supplies are stored.
  • Prepare a Kit: Keep a kit stocked with emergency supplies. This should include a three-day supply of food and water for each family member. Plan for one gallon of water per person per day. Supplies should also include: cash, blankets and sleeping bags, first-aid kits, battery-powered radios, flashlights and extra batteries, clothing, necessary medications, pet care, a list of important phone numbers and important documents stored in waterproof containers.
  • Stay Informed: Keep up-to-date on the latest weather information. Watch local news and weather, listen for radio updates or stay informed with your computer or smartphone.

In addition to these tips, it is imperative to have an adequate supply of food and water during a disaster.

  • Keep an appliance thermometer in your fridge and freezer to provide an accurate temperature reading even if the power is out. A freezer should be at or below 0°F and the fridge at 40°F.
  • Store food on shelves high enough that it will not be contaminated in case of flood.
  • Have coolers on hand to keep food cold if the power is out more than four hours. Keep the fridge and freezer doors closed as much as possible.
  • Discard perishables, such as meat, fish, cheese, milk, eggs, leftovers and deli items, if the power is out more than four hours.
  • Use bottled water if you are concerned about your water supply. If you don’t have bottled water, boil water and let it cool before storing to drink.

During an emergency, the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services provides necessary food and water to affected areas and helps protect animals and pets. The department’s Florida Forest Service is responsible for incident management and assists emergency responders in clearing debris and distributing supplies. Additionally, the department’s Office of Agricultural Law Enforcement provides law enforcement services to police departments and county sheriff’s offices as necessary.
For more information and tips on hurricane preparedness, visit FloridaDisaster.org.
For more information about the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services, visit FreshFromFlorida.com.

Gov. Scott and DHS Secretary Kelly Kick Off Hurricane Season at National Hurricane Center

Posted on

MEDIA ADVISORY

Tomorrow, June 1, Governor Rick Scott and Secretary of Homeland Security John Kelly will kick off the 2017 hurricane season at the National Hurricane Center in Miami.
WHAT: Press Conference
WHEN: 11:00 AM
WHERE: National Hurricane Center
11691 SW 17th Street
Miami, FL 33165
NOTE: Credentialed media planning to attend must RSVP [email protected] before 8:00 AM EDT on June 1. On the day of the event, media must arrive no later than 10:15 AM EDT for security purposes. Parking is located on the east side of the building with signage “NOAA Conference Parking”. After you are cleared by security, proceed to the main (south) entrance.

Insurance Commissioner Altmaier’s Message to Floridians: Prepare Now for the 2017 Hurricane Season

Posted on


Florida Insurance Commissioner David Altmaier has an important message for Floridians ahead of the hurricane season beginning on June 1.
“Florida’s unique risk to tropical weather, especially during the hurricane season, means all Floridians need a disaster plan,” said Altmaier. “The time to evaluate your insurance coverage, fortify your home and prepare for how to protect yourself and your family is now.”
Altmaier is also advising Floridians to take advantage of numerous hurricane preparedness resources available to them on the Office of Insurance Regulation’s (Office) website and offers the following additional tips:

  • Review your insurance policy with your insurance agent or insurance company to make sure the coverage is adequate to your individual needs. The “Declarations Page” of your policy will summarize the coverage you have purchased.
  • Understand the differences between your insurance policy’s coverages and deductibles.
  • Strengthen your home’s defenses against a storm through simple mitigation techniques, such as replacing worn weather stripping under doors and removing tree limbs that may fall on your home or become flying projectiles.
  • Inventory your valuables and possessions using a home inventory checklist, which is available as a form you can download and print. If you prefer to use a smartphone, there is a link to a free app created by the National Association of Insurance Commissioners, which allows you to take pictures and add descriptions of your belongings.
  • Know the phone number and contact information for your insurance agent and insurance company. Make sure to have easy access to it if you must evacuate your home.
  • Most importantly, have a plan for what you will do if a storm system is expected to impact where you live. Do not wait to evacuate if it becomes necessary.

For more information, visit the Office’s “Hurricane Season Resources” webpage.

CFO Atwater: Insurance experts only one call away

Posted on

For free insurance assistance, Floridians can call 1-877-693-5236

Ahead of the June 1 start to the 2017 Atlantic Hurricane Season, Chief Financial Officer Jeff Atwater reminds Floridians to write down the State of Florida’s toll-free insurance helpline number (1-877-693-5236). Operated by the Department of Financial Services, the helpline connects Floridians directly to insurance experts who can help them file an insurance claim, better understand their policy, and settle setbacks that can arise during the claims-filing process.
“Getting back on your feet following a storm can be a stressful state of affairs, but I hope that having free and ready access to insurance expertise can help the recovery process run more efficiently for Florida families,” said CFO Atwater. “All Floridians should keep the helpline phone number on their emergency contact list and inside their family’s hurricane kit.”
Assistance provided by insurance experts working the helpline led to the recovery of $8 million during the first quarter of 2017. These recoveries included insurance claim payments that were previously denied or underpaid by a consumer’s insurance company and premium refunds that consumers sought the Department’s help collecting. Between January 1, 2017 and March 31, 2017, helpline experts answered 70,634 calls and opened nearly 5,000 assistance requests.
For a better chance of a complication-free claims process, Floridians should carefully review all insurance policies to ensure that proper coverage is in place for their home, car, and belongings. Common reasons for complications include a lack of adequate insurance coverage and insufficient documentation or proof of damage.
For added help preparing for the 2017 hurricane season, the Department’s Division of Consumer Services offers online disaster guides and emergency preparedness toolkits. Floridians can download and print free copies at http://www.myfloridacfo.com/Division/Consumers/Storm/.
 

DEO Encourages Florida Businesses to Prepare for Hurricane Season

Posted on


The Florida Department of Economic Opportunity (DEO) encourages business owners and managers to be prepared for the 2017 hurricane season that begins on June 1. Adequately preparing for a disaster is the best way to protect your business and ensure it gets up and running quickly after a storm.
DEO Executive Director Cissy Proctor said, “Businesses across Florida need to be prepared and have a plan in place for operations before, during and after severe weather and storms, especially during hurricane season. As we know in Florida, hurricanes and severe weather events pose a threat to much of the state. The best way to protect lives, property and our local economies is to prepare in advance. If you don’t already have a plan for your business, make one today at www.FLGetaPlan.com.”
DEO urges businesses to do the following right away:

  • Make preparations now – Hurricanes pose risks for flooding and wind damage. Make sure your business is prepared for a flooding event by moving important items off of the floor. Prepare for high winds by removing or fixing broken items on the exterior of your business.
  • Get a plan – Make sure your business’s emergency plan is updated. If you do not have one, go to www.FLGetaPlan.com to make one today for your business and family.
  • Check your disaster supply kit – Review the items in in your disaster supply kit to ensure all needed items are there and up-to-date. If you don’t have a disaster supply kit for your home or business, prepare one now.
  • Stay in touch – Keep cell phones charged and make sure all contact information for employees and other important contacts is current and correct. Alert employees to pay attention to news, phone and email, especially during the threat of a hurricane or severe weather.
  • Stay informed – Visit the Florida Virtual Business Emergency Operations Center at http://flvbeoc.org today to register your business to receive updates in the event of a severe storm or hurricane.

As a member of the State Emergency Response Team, DEO coordinates local, state and federal agency actions that provide immediate and short-term assistance for the needs of businesses after a disaster.
Visit www.FLGetaPlan.com to create your business emergency plan. More resources on business preparedness are available from the Florida Division of Emergency Management at www.FloridaDisaster.org, the Federal Emergency Management Agency at www.Ready.gov/business, and the Small Business Administration at www.sba.gov.

DCF Prepares for 2017 Hurricane Season with Food for Florida Exercise

Posted on

The Florida Department of Children and Families (DCF) will begin a two-day disaster exercise of the Food for Florida program today in Deerfield Beach. More than 150 employees will participate in the exercise to test equipment and ensure the department is ready to quickly distribute food benefits to eligible families in the aftermath of a disaster.
“During the 2016 hurricane season, the department was able to respond by implementing the early release of benefits to our current food assistance customers,” Secretary Mike Carroll said. “This exercise allows us to take a look at how we can best meet the needs of more Floridians in a time of crisis.”
June 1st will mark the official start of the 2017 Atlantic Hurricane Season, which lasts through the end of November. Although predictions call for a below average season, Floridians are reminded that it only takes one storm to impact a community.
The Food for Florida program offers emergency food assistance to eligible victims of hurricanes or other types of disasters when a community experiences a disaster reaching the level of critical need and receives a Presidential disaster declaration from the Federal Emergency Management Agency. The last time DCF received this authority to activate the program was in 2005, when Hurricane Wilma struck Florida. DCF has since streamlined the application and preregistration process using satellite and other wireless technologies. The changes have positioned DCF to better serve disaster-stricken Floridians and identify individuals who try to fraudulently obtain benefits during a time of crisis.
Everyone in Florida should have a disaster plan and supply kit, and now is the time to review, recycle, and restock. The Florida Division of Emergency Management has created an easy way to build a family or small business emergency plan at their website.  Children can also participate in several activities related to emergency planning at www.kidsgetaplan.com.
For more information about the Food for Florida program visit www.MyFLFamilies.com/fff.

Consumer Alert: It’s Time to Evaluate Your Flood Insurance Coverage Before Hurricane Season

Posted on

floir
Insurance Commissioner David Altmaier is encouraging consumers to have flood insurance protection in place for their homes and businesses prior to the start of this year’s hurricane season. A basic homeowners insurance policy does not provide coverage for flooding. This coverage must be purchased separately through either the federally-administered National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) or a private insurance company.
“Many residents of our state experienced substantial property damage and losses last year from flooding caused by Hurricanes Hermine and Matthew,” stated Altmaier. “Even a small amount of rising water can cause serious flooding, so it is important to evaluate your insurance coverage now and plan ahead for the upcoming hurricane season.”
In Florida, the vast majority of flood insurance is administered through the NFIP, which oftentimes can be purchased directly from a consumer’s existing insurance agent or company. Typically, there is a 30-day waiting period before an NFIP policy takes effect, so to have coverage in place for the June 1 start of hurricane season, the ideal purchase date would be May 1. Federal legislative reforms addressing the NFIP were instituted in 2012 and 2014. As a result of these changes, additional price and fee increases took effect on April 1, 2017 for all NFIP policies. To learn more about this coverage, and for more information about the recent federal reforms, visit the NFIP’s website.
Florida’s private flood insurance market is growing and there are now several insurance companies offering primary or excess flood insurance coverage to consumers. This coverage is usually offered at prices similar to or lower than those of the NFIP. For a list of flood insurance writers in Florida, visit the Office’s “Flood Insurance” webpage.
For more information about ways to prepare for hurricane season and resources to a variety of fact sheets and tips, visit the Office’s “Hurricane Season Resources” webpage.