Storm Guide for The Gainesville Sun - May 25, 2014

DISASTER SUPPLY KIT, PAGE 5 • TRACKING MAP, PAGES 12-13 • HURRICANE HUNGER, PAGE 19 ➡

STORMGUIDE

A SPECIAL PUBLICATION OF THE GAINESVILLE SUN

2 | SUNDAY , MAY 25 , 2014 STORM GUIDE THE GAINESVILLE SUN | www.gainesville.com

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COLORADO STATE UNIVERSITY2014 prediction: Nine ■

named storms, three of them hurricanes, one major.

How it did last year: ■

Predicted 18 storms (14), nine hurricanes (two) and four major hurricanes (zero).THE WEATHER CHANNEL

2014 prediction: Eleven ■

named storms, ve of them hurricanes, two major.

How it did last year: ■

Predicted 16 named storms (14), nine hurri-canes (two) and ve major hurricanes (zero).WEATHERBELL ANALYTICS

2014 prediction: Eight ■

to 10 named storms, three to ve hurricanes, and one to two major hurri-canes.

How it did in 2013: ■

Predicted 16 named storms (14), 12 hurricanes (two) and ve major

hurricanes (zero).GLOBAL WEATHER OSCILLATIONS (BASED IN MARION COUNTY)

2014 prediction: 13 ■

named storms, six hurricanes and two major hurricanes.

How it did in 2013: ■

Predicted nine named storms (13). Did not predict number of hurricanes or major hurricanes, but did — cor-rectly — predict no U.S. hurricane landfall.

Predictions for the 2014 Atlantic hurricane season

Here are some important telephone numbers and websites to keep handy during an emergency:

GAINESVILLE REGIONAL UTILITIES:To report power outages or downed lines, ■

call 334-2871Natural gas emergencies: 334-2550 ■

Water/wastewater emergencies: 334-2711 ■

Customer service: 334-3434 ■

You also can follow GRU on Twitter @ ■

GRUStormCentral and online at gru.com/StormCentral.aspx

Rumor Control: If warranted during a tropi- ■

cal storm or other disaster, Alachua County will activate a rumor control line at 311.

ALACHUA COUNTY EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT: 264-6500

More information on hurricanes and storms ■

can be found at the county’s Emergency Management website at alachuacounty.us/EmSvcs/Pages/EmergencyServices.aspx.

Alachua County Emergency Manage- ■

ment’s Facebook page is facebook.com/pages/Alachua-County-Emergency-Manage-ment/59446250901, and its Twitter page is twitter.com/Alachua_Co_EM. The latest infor-mation will be posted during emergencies.

Advisories also will be posted at alachua- ■

county.us/Depts/PublicSafety/em/weather-Tools/Pages/StormWatch.aspx.

NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE: The NWS website at weather.gov has links ■

for the latest information on hurricanes, tropical storms and severe thunderstorm warnings.

COVER ART: Sean Ochal COPY EDITOR: Alan FestoEDITOR: Greg Hamilton

5DISASTER SUPPLY KIT: While food

and water may be easy to remember in the event of a major storm, items such as cash, batteries, medications and insect

repellent may not.

6PROTECT YOUR CASTLE: Proper planning and preparation in and around your home can help

prevent or mitigate damage the hurricane season brings.

14KEEP IN TOUCH: With the

smartphone revolution beginning in 2007, it is now more important than ever to

keep your devices charged and up to date if a major storm approaches.

17SMALL STORM, BIG PUNCH:

Small summer storms can be frightening because they come without

the warnings that accompany approaching hurricanes.

19HURRICANE HUNGER: While

ramen noodles should be a staple in ever disaster kit, there are plenty of other

foods that are quick and easy to prepare if your power goes out.

22TIMBER!: It is important to trim

and maintain the trees around your home. Homeowners should follow these tips

to avoid being taken advantage of before or aft er a storm.

INSIDE

Important phone numbers

www.gainesville.com | THE GAINESVILLE SUN SUNDAY , MAY 25 , 2014 | 3

By Joe CallahanStaff writer

It has been nearly 10 years since Alachua County received a double dose of hurricanes: Frances in late August 2004 and Jeanne three weeks later.

For nearly a month, many parts of Alachua County were crippled. Thousands of trees were leveled and power was out to some areas for almost a week. Those who did not prepare for the worst ran low on food and water.

Though many experts are expecting a slow hurricane season in 2014, local of cials urge residents to still plan for the worst.

“It only takes one hurricane to ruin your day,” said Jeff Bielling, Alachua County’s assis-tant emergency manage-ment director.

Bielling said area residents need to be prepared not only with supplies, but by making a family plan as well.

It’s that time of year. Hurricane season starts June 1, and the annual forecasts are emerging from private sources, government agencies and universities.

So far, all but one of these main forecasts call for a below-average hurricane season.

Of cials with the National Hurricane Center reiterate, however, that preparations should not be based on predic-tions. Dennis Feltgen, a hurricane center spokes-man, said the predictions are deceiving.

He said a prediction is for the entire six-month season, which runs June 1 to Nov. 30. It covers the entire Atlantic basin and

does not tell a person where or when a storm could hit.

He said residents should believe that since a hurricane didn’t make landfall last year, then “I will get hit this year.”

Feltgen pointed to 1992, when forecasters predict-ed a slow hurricane season. Some had predict-ed only seven hurricanes, far below the average of 12.

Though the season started off slow, Hurricane Andrew — one of the strongest to ever hit the U.S. — slammed Home-stead in August as the rst storm of the season and caused $26 billion in damage.

He also pointed to 2010, when there were 12 hurricanes and none hit the U.S. The bottom line is that preparations are key, no matter what.

Feltgen also said resi-dents in inland counties shouldn’t let their guard down.

“Often the most deadly part of a hurricane is inland ooding,” Feltgen said. “Sometimes as much as 20 inches of rain can fall.”

While hurricane experts with Colorado State and North Carolina State universities are calling for a below-normal hurricane season, a Central Florida man is predicting an average hurricane season.

Experts from those universities are expecting at least a moderate El Nino, which produces warmer-than-normal waters in the Paci c Ocean near the equator and can cause upper-level wind shear in the Atlantic Ocean, subduing hurri-cane activity.

Those experts are also predicting cooler-than-average water tempera-tures in the tropical Atlantic, which affect the ability of a hurricane to strengthen. The warmer the water, the stronger the hurricane.

This year’s forecasts come after the predictions for last hurricane season were off the mark. Last year most experts called for above average activity, though no major hurri-canes — Category 3, 4 or 5 — formed all season for the rst time in decades.

Colorado State’s William Gray and Philip Klotzbach predict there will be nine named storms in 2014, three below the annual average. Gray and Klotz-bach predict only three will become hurricanes and only one of those will be a major storm — half the annual average.

Ocala resident David Dilley says his high-tech computer modeling shows the effects of El Nino will be weak, and hurricanes will, in fact, affect the United States.

In December, Dilley used his models to predict 17 named storms, eight of them hurricanes, and three of them major storms, in 2014.

A few weeks ago, he downgraded his forecast slightly to 13 named storms, with six hurri-canes and two of those major storms. That’s still far above the prediction of Colorado State and N.C. State.

Dilley doesn’t release speci c details, such as the odds of a Florida landfall. That’s because he sells the predictions to businesses, such as insurance companies. He does predict “two or more hurricanes making landfall” in the United States in 2014.

“The upper Gulf (of Mexico) is at risk,” Dilley said.

Dilley spent decades building a computerized weather forecast model that he says can predict the volatility of a hurri-cane season up to four years in advance.

Dilley owns and oper-ates Global Weather Oscil-lations Inc. He touts his computer model concept as a one-of-a-kind fore-casting tool that relies on weather cycles.

The National Oceanic Atmospheric Administra-tion uses several short-term weather cycle-type oscillation models. Experts also factor in La Nina or El Nino in uences to forecast six months to a year into the future. NOAA does not use weather cycle data to predict hurricanes four years out.

Dilley, 68, a former NOAA meteorologist for two decades, says his models have accurately predicted hurricane activity in each of the past ve seasons, while most other forecast agencies have missed the mark more times than not.

Dilley uses his predic-tion model, called Climate Pulse Technology, to analyze coastal impacts in 11 zones.

After analyzing the data, Dilley then projects hurricane and tropical storm probabilities for each of those zones. Dilley said his agency, unlike the other agencies, predicted a slow season in 2013 and an active season in 2012.

While only time will tell which prediction will be correct, one thing is for certain: It has been years since the last major hurricane struck Florida. And the last eight years have amounted to Flori-da’s longest hurricane-free streak in recorded weather history.

Several tropical storms have damaged Florida since 2005. Debby, for example, dumped record rainfall and ooding in North Florida in June 2012.

Experts attribute 2013’s weak hurricane season to a variety of atmospheric conditions, such as upper-level wind shear, positioning of the Bermu-da-Azores high and storm activity off Africa’s west coast.

Only one tropical storm, and no hurricanes, made landfall in the United States in 2013. There were 13 named storms in 2013, only two of them hurri-canes. The only storm that made landfall was Tropical Storm Andrea, which skirted Tampa last June.

The 2013 season had the fewest number of hurri-canes since 1982. It was also the rst year since 1994 that a major hurri-cane did not form some-where in the Atlantic basin or the Gulf of Mexico.

‘It only takes one hurricane to ruin your day’

MATT STAMEY/STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER/FILE

David Anthony Reynolds looks at the tree that fell on his home during Tropical Storm Andrea in Gainesville on June 6, 2013.


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STORMGUIDE SERVICE DIRECTORYSTORM GUIDE SERVICE DIRECTORYAREYOU READY FOR STORM SEASON?

Protect your loved ones & pets and stock up on food andwater in case it is unsafe to leave your home.

Make sure you pack non-perishable food for each person/pet for 3-7 days.

• BottledWater (1 gallon/person/day)

• Bottled Juice• Two Coolers:

1 for Drinks & 1 for Food• Canned Foods• Manual Can Opener• Dry Pet Food &Water

for Each Pet

The disaster planPost emergency telephone ■

numbers by the phone.Install safety features in your ■

house, such as smoke detectors and re extinguishers.

Inspect your home for poten- ■

tial hazards (items that can move, fall, break or catch re) and correct them.

Have your family learn basic ■

safety measures, such as CPR and rst aid; how to use a re extinguisher; and how and when to turn off the water, gas and electricity in your home.

Teach children how and when ■

to call 911 or your local Emer-gency Medical Services number.

Pick two places to meet: a spot ■

outside your home for an emergency and a place away from your neighborhood in case you can’t return home. Choose an out-of-state friend as your “family check-in contact” for everyone to call if the family gets separated.

Keep important documents in ■

a waterproof container. Keep a smaller disaster supplies kit in the trunk of your car.

Keep enough supplies in your ■

home for at least three days. Assemble a disaster supplies kit (as listed below). Store these supplies in sturdy, easy-to-carry

containers, such as backpacks or duf e bags.

The disaster checklistGeneral ashlights and/or ■

lantern with extra batteries. Candles are not recommended because they can pose a re hazard if left unattended.

A corded, land-line telephone. ■

Cordless telephones do not work without power.

Extra, charged cellphone ■

battery and/or car charger for cellphone.

Radio, and/or weather radio ■

(NOAA radio) with extra batteries.

Camera and lm; extra ■

batteries. To take photographs of damage for insurance purposes.

Fire extinguisher. ■

Sterno fuel and unit; charcoal ■

and lighter or propane for gas grill.

Tools: Keep a set with you ■

during the storm. A pocketknife, nails, saw, a hammer, an ex and rope are important. Towels and buckets are useful if you develop a leak.

Clothing, beddingOne blanket and/or sleeping ■

bag per person, stored in a watertight container.

One change of clothes and ■

shoes per person, stored in a watertight container.

Rain gear, heavy/sturdy boots ■

or shoes; work gloves, and hat or cap to wear in sun.

Medical, personal hygiene

First aid kit and manuals. ■

Sunscreen and insect repel- ■

lent.Bleach, for demolding. ■

Medications and speci c ■

medical information.

Food, water and supplies

Drinking water. One gallon ■

per person per day. A three-day supply is recommended. (Replace stored water every six months.)

Special infant needs such as ■

diapers, bottles of formula and food.

Pantry well stocked: canned ■

goods, dry milk, dry cereals, powered drinks, pastas.

Non-electric can opener, ■

plastic utensils, disposable plates, garbage bags.

Extra ice in freezer, when ■

storm is approaching.

Other needsCar tanked lled with gasoline. ■

Flat xer for tires, properly ■

in ated spare tire.Air horn or whistle (to call for ■

help).Fill tub and large containers ■

with water for ushing toilet if water supply stops.

Pets inside or otherwise ■

protected, an ample supply of pet food.

Loose outside objects stored ■

or secured.Tree branches tied or cut. ■

Inventory of personal belong- ■

ings for insurance claims: A written list and proof of pur-chase (receipts, warranties) for expensive items. Supplement with photographs or video and keep with important documents in a secure location (safe-depos-it box, workplace or out-of-state relative).

Bring to a shelterPrescription medicines ■

Baby food and diapers ■

Cards, games, books, toys ■

Toiletries ■

Battery-powered radio ■

Flashlight (one per person) ■

Extra batteries ■

Blankets or sleeping bags ■

Identi cation ■

Valuable papers (insurance) ■

Cash (with some small bills) ■

and credit cards. Banks and ATMs might not be available for extended periods.

Post-storm cleanupDuct tape ■

Bleach ■

Tarp to temporarily cover ■

damaged areasWater puri cation tables ■

Sources: National Hurricane Center, American Red Cross

Disaster supply kit: The time to prepare is now

ALAN YOUNGBLOOD/STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER/FILE

A combination weather radio and fl ashlight. The device operates by turning a crank to charge the batteries.

www.gainesville.com | THE GAINESVILLE SUN STORM GUIDE SUNDAY , MAY 25 , 2014 | 5

By Carl McKinneyCorrespondent

Hurricane season may be part of the cost of living in Florida, but homeown-ers can take steps to ensure the safety of themselves, their families and their property.

Proper planning and preparation can help prevent or mitigate damage the hurricane season brings.

Before becoming the director of the Florida Division of Emergency Management, Bryan Koon spent ve years as the director of emergency management for Wal-Mart, helping stores prepare for disasters. Homeowners in Alachua County might nd that preparing for a storm isn’t much different for them than it is for a retail chain.

“The principals are the same,” he said. “You really want to do everything you can to prepare.”

The rst step is to gather supplies and have a plan.

After a storm, access to cash ow will be impor-tant for individuals just as it is to a business. If the power goes down, the communications grid will be affected, meaning credit cards might not always be dependable.

“Just as a business supply chain could be disrupted, as a homeown-er, your supplies could be disrupted, too,” he said, suggesting that a stash of cash is essential.

The amount varies for each family. “Think about what you need to get through your normal, day-to-day life, and have a supply of that ready,” he said.

Homeowners should also take time to review their insurance policies. “Talk to your insurance provider, make sure you have an appropriate level of coverage for your needs,” he said. Flood insurance usually has to be bought separately from a standard policy, he noted.

Flooding is the number one cause of death associated with hurri-canes, said Dave Donnel-ly, emergency manage-ment director for Alachua County.

After having a plan and supplies, it’s time to prepare the property, Donnelly said.

If a homeowner has the money, he or she might want to consider having a structural engineer look around and suggest forti cations, he said. There are several struc-tural engineering rms in Gainesville, including GSE Engineering and Consulting, Wayland Structural Engineering and JWM Engineering. The average cost of hiring one in Florida is around $1,800, according to homeadvisor.com.

Photographs should be taken of the house and any valuables, and serial numbers should be written down in case a claim needs to be led, he said.

After checking the property to see if it is going to be storm-worthy, Donnelly said to call an insurance agent to come over and evaluate it. Newer homes are more likely to have been built to meet higher code stan-dards, making them more

resilient to storms. The Home Depot website

has a list of what to look at when reinforcing a home. Older asphalt shingles are vulnerable to breaking in high winds, so the website recommends applying roo ng cement under tabs that seem loose.

If a plywood sheathing on a roof gets removed by wind, it can compromise

the whole house. Some construction adhesive applied to both sides of the rafters or trusses where they meet the sheathing can help. If there is a tight space, the adhesive can be applied to the at sides of quarter-round molding and pressed into the corner between the rafter and decking.

Windows and doors

might need to be replaced with impact-resistant ones. For a fast solution, the Home Depot website recommends using plywood as a barrier in the meantime, no thinner than a half-inch, and the thicker, the better. If the windows are surrounded by wood, the plywood can be cut to cover the opening and secured with wood

screws every 12 inches. The garage door could

be a vulnerable opening, Donnelly said. He sug-gested reinforcing it with metal bracings. For temporary bracings, a 2x4 piece of wood can be attached to the oor with masonry anchors and used to prop up two or three vertical supports connected to the wall above the door, according to the Home Depot website.

Donnelly recommended against draining the pool before a storm, since it can be a good source for water that can be used to ush toilets and for other hygiene purposes.

It’s important to secure garbage cans, pool furniture, lawn orna-ments or anything else that might be loose outside, he said. Anything can be turned into a projectile by strong winds.

In case a homeowner needs to evacuate, they should have copies of all important documents, including family photos, birth certi cates, social security documents, insurance policies or any other government document. The originals should be kept in a safety deposit box. Scans of the documents also could be kept on a USB drive for portability, along with any important les.

Above all, the most important thing to do before a storm is to simply think about a plan in advance, Donnelly said.

“Be informed,” he said. “Know what the hazards are.”

Both Alachua County and the state of Florida have more information and tips on their respec-tive websites.

Reinforce your castle before howling winds arriveIf a plywood sheathing on a roof gets removed by wind, it can compromise the whole house.

Garage doors

Braces

Inside the

garage door

Protecting the envelope

Windows

Plastic interlayerGlass

Glass

Impact-resistant windows offer passive protection against wind-borne debris during a hurricane. The glazing may shatter from an impact, but the pane will stay in the frame, keeping destructive winds out of the house.

Impact- resistant

glass

Plywood paneling Shutters

When unbraced, these large doors often fail during hurricanes, letting wind into the garage that can lift off the roof. To strengthen double-width garage doors, run 2x4 braces across the middle of each panel. The braces should be anchored to the wall with bolts. Retrofit kits are available for some doors.

Installing plywood over windows and doors is a cost-effective way to protect your home. Measure and drill the panels well in advance for easy installation when a hurricane threatens.

Wood-frame houses■ For windows 3x4 feet or smaller, use 1/4-inch lag bolts that penetrate the wall and frame surrounding the window at least 1 3/4 inches.■ For larger windows, use 3/8-inch lag bolts that penetrate the wall and frame surrounding the window at least 2 1/2 inches.

Masonry houses■ Windows 4x4 or smaller, 1/4-inch expansion anchors. The expansion bolt should penetrate the wall at least 1 1/2 inches. ■ For larger windows, use 3/8-inch expansion bolts that pentrate the wall at least 1 1/2 inches.

Types of shutters■ Roll-down ■ Storm panels■ Plywood

Plywood should overlap the window or door opening by 4 inches on each side.

Shutters protect against wind and flying debris. They come in panels that are installed manually on tracks, or permanent units that roll up into cases atop the opening.

Roll-down shutters are popular because of the ease and speed with which they can be used.

Once a window or door has been breached, hurricane-force winds can enter the structure and exert tremendous pressure on a house’s walls and roof, blowing them out. Shielding these weak spots in the house’s “envelope” can save your home from catastrophe.

Roll-down shutter

SOURCES: PGT, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration JENNIFER F. A. BORRESEN/NYTRNG

p


By Morgan WatkinsStaff writer

With the hurricane season closing in, local agencies like the American Red Cross are making their annual prepara-tions and doing community outreach to ensure residents are ready for a storm.

Alachua County Emergency Management Director Dave Donnelly said his department’s preparations began months ago.

Alachua County Emergency Management has developed a pre-season checklist that starts in December, Donnelly said. Right now, they’re stocking up on resources like hearing aid batteries to ensure people who go to a shelter will be able to get whatever they need quickly.

Whenever there aren’t any storms or much other activity, Donnelly and his team do planning and training work so they’ll be fully prepared when a storm does hit.

Last December, the county also had a series of workshops that helped the department tweak and improve its internal planning process, he said.

“We’re always striving to improve how we do things,” he said.

Alachua County Emergency Management also does commu-nity outreach in advance of hurricane season to inform people how best to prepare, as does the Red Cross.

Community outreach is a big part of the Red Cross’s prepara-tions for hurricane season, said John Hampton, disaster pro-gram specialist for the North-Central Florida Chapter of the Red Cross. The organization has gone to schools, nursing homes and other places to inform residents about the best ways to

get ready, including what to put in an emergency kit.

Christian Smith, director of public support for the North Florida Region of the Red Cross, said they’ve also been doing some organizational restructur-ing over the last couple years, which is now complete. The restructuring was done to ensure a better distribution of resources and allows the organization to shift those resources, both people and materials, more ef ciently and quickly.

“We have made sure that we have resources in each commu-nity based on the needs of those communities,” she said.

The Salvation Army is also in the midst of its annual prepara-tions, Lt. Preston Lewis, corps of cer for the Salvation Army of

Gainesville, said. The organization has disaster

warehouses throughout the state lled with water, food and other emergency resources, so it is continually making sure those facilities are fully stocked and everything is within its expira-tion date.

Meanwhile, Family Promise of Gainesville, which partners with local churches that serve as shelters for homeless families with children, doesn’t have to do much to prepare for hurricane

season other than ensure its partners understand how to handle the situation if a storm does hit, Executive Director Gwain Davis said. If there is a serious warning, its protocol is for the churches to evacuate their guests to the nearest county school designated as a shelter.

Nothing much is different about the Alachua County Sheriff’s Of ce’s hurricane season preparations, spokes-man Art Forgey said.

“Basically, it’s just a chance for us to dust everything off,” he said.

The agency checks the storm shutters on the windows, for example, and reviews its continuity of operations plan, which explains what to do in an emergency situation like a hurricane or power outage, to ensure no modi cations are needed, he said.

Capt. Lonnie Scott of the Gainesville Police Department, who is the city of Gainesville’s emergency manager, said this year will be a little different because the city’s emergency operations center will be based in the Police Department’s new headquarters.

The emergency operations center has traditionally been located in the police department but has been housed in the city’s Public Works facility for the past three years.

Now that GPD’s new head-quarters is of cially open, the center will return to its place in the police department.

“It really accommodates our needs a lot more effectively,” he said of the new GPD headquar-ters.

Sgt. Tracy Hisler-Pace, public affairs of cer for Florida Highway Patrol Troop B, said FHP needs to be ready to act since its personnel can be deployed anywhere in the state at a moment’s notice if a storm hits. The agency’s typical preparations include making sure there are always plenty of ares and keeping all its vehicles gassed up in case of an emergency.

“We always de nitely ramp up and get prepared,” she said.

The agency also has contin-gency plans in place so everyone on staff knows what their part will be if a storm tears through the area.

“It’s like an all-hands-on-deck kind of situation,” she said.

Contact Morgan Watkins at 338-3104 or [email protected].

Emergency offi cials preparing for storm season

ROB C. WITZEL/STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER/FILE

A Hollister volunteer fi refi ghter stands near a downed tree and power line caused by strong storms associated with Hurricane Frances in Interlachen in September 2004.

The Alachua County Emergency Management department’s planning began months ago.

The emergency operations center has traditionally been located in the police department but has been housed in the city’s Public Works facility for the past three years. Now that GPD’s new headquarters is offi cially open, the center will return to its place in the police department.


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0

100

200

300

400

500

600

Dec.Nov.Oct.Sept.Aug.JulyJuneMayJan.-Apr.

Hurricanes by monthStatistics show that 79.4 percent of all tropical storms and 84.7 percent of all hurricanes since 1851 form in August, September and October.

Tropical stormsU.S. landfall hurricanesHurricanes

SOURCE: National Hurricane Center SEAN OCHAL/Staff graphic

By Monivette CordeiroStaff writer

With hurricane season approaching, those with special needs or who care for someone in such conditions need to be thinking of evacuation plans.

Alachua County pro-vides free emergency evacuation for people with special needs who are listed on a county registry. People who should register on the list include those who have limiting physical or mental conditions and need daily assistance by a caregiver for personal and medical care, according to the Alachua County Emergen-cy Management website.

This also can include people receiving treat-ment for conditions such as arthritis, Alzheimer’s disease, Parkinson’s disease, diabetes and cancer. Residents with special needs also can be those who are paralyzed, bedridden, frail, depen-dent on electricity or oxygen, or have respira-tory problems, seizures, sores, visual and hearing problems, according to the website.

People who are elderly or use a wheelchair also may qualify.

But Alachua County residents should register early, not the day before a storm hits, said Dave Donnelly, Alachua County Emergency Management director.

“My biggest thing is now is the time to prepare,” he said. “We get dozens of people signing up for the registry when we’re trying to focus on the storm.”

In addition to having special needs, residents who are eligible include those who have transpor-tation problems, unsafe

housing, shelter issues and live alone or with another person with special needs, the website said.

Residents who are not eligible include people who have severe or advanced conditions and require hospital care. People who reside in assisted living facilities are also not eligible because those facilities usually have their own emergency plans, accord-ing to the website.

If you would like to be on

the registry, you can download a form online or request one from the emergency management of ce, Donnelly said.

People can call Alachua County Emergency Management at 264-6500 and request a registration form, or download it at specialneeds.alachua-county.us. When you have completely lled out the form, mail it to P.O. Box 548, Gainesville, FL 32602.

Donnelly added that if you do go to a special needs shelter, you need to bring your medications and medical supplies, important papers, person-al items, comfort items, extra clothing, special dietary foods and enter-tainment items. It’s also good to bring a ashlight, batteries and a battery-powered radio, he said.

Donnelly also recom-mends that all residents and businesses should know what he calls the four pillars of preparedness.

People should have an emergency plan and know

what shelter they have to go to in case of an emer-gency.

They also should create an emergency kit that includes a rst aid kit and food and water to last ve days. The kit should include meals that take little preparation, like canned goods, and one gallon of water per day for each person, he said.

People also should be informed and know where they can get information before, during and after a disaster. Check the Alachua County Emergen-cy Management website often, follow the of ce on social media or call 264-6557, he said.

Finally, Donnelly recommends that people learn basic rst aid and emergency response techniques at the class ses-sions the of ce offers.

“Know what you’re going to do,” he said. “You will be more comfortable if you practice your plan and let family members know it well, as opposed to waiting to the last minute to do it.”

Special needs?If you would like to

register with Alachua County as a special needs evacuee, contact Alachua County Emergency Man-agement at 264-6500 and request a registration form or download it at specialneeds.alachua-county.us. When you have completed the form, mail it to P.O. Box 548, Gainesville, FL 32602.

Special needs? Contact county now

ALAN YOUNGBLOOD/STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER/FILE

Residents keep an eye on Hurricane Charley at the shelter at West Port High School in Ocala on Aug. 13, 2004.



By Anthony ClarkBusiness editor

Losing a refrigerator full of food during a power outage is an annoyance for most people. When your refrigerator is a 40,000-square-foot section of warehouse that supplies restaurants and institutions throughout North Florida, such spoilage would be a costly disruption to business.

That is why Florida Food Service’s rst line of defense in an emergency is a set of backup generators, a 350-kilowatt generator for the warehouse and a smaller one for the of ce, according to President Joel Islam.

The company also has desig-nated a disaster recovery team with leaders from each depart-ment. Islam said a lot of their response involves tracking storms throughout their delivery areas to see if they should delay deliveries.

“We probably wouldn’t send trucks hours ahead of a project-ed storm landing because restaurants don’t want to have the delivery and they got knocked out of power and they’ll lose their inventory,” he said.

Having a disaster recovery plan that includes a continua-tion of business plan could mean the difference between getting back to normal and shutting down.

The Department of Labor estimates that 40 percent of businesses never reopen after a disaster, and another 25 percent close within two years. Yet, only 48 percent of businesses have a disaster recovery plan, accord-ing to a survey.

Numerous resources are available to help businesses plan for storms and other emergen-cies (see accompanying box).

Alachua County Emergency Management can help business-es with planning efforts, said Director Dave Donnelly. The department also offers a community response team certi cation program.

He said his recommendations to businesses are similar to what he tells residents:

Develop a plan. Several ■

websites offer templates.Get a kit that includes rst aid ■

supplies and tools.Stay informed. The county ■

offers weather warning noti ca-tions by email, text or phone through CodeRed. Sign up at codered.alachuacounty.us.

Have a place to go, in the case ■

of a business an alternate facility such as a branch of the same business, or partner with another business — “You go to their place or they come to your place.”

Have a place for important ■

records, such as saving informa-tion on a thumb drive or ash drive, and back up data offsite as well as in the cloud.

Donnelly said people should also consider that a disaster somewhere else can affect business, such as when Hurri-cane Floyd struck the nancial district in North Carolina in 1998 and people were unable to draw money from ATMs locally.

Ready Business, a project of the Department of Homeland Security and the Federal Emergency Management Agency, offers several tips at ready.gov/business that include identifying and assessing resources needed to respond to emergencies, continue business operations and communicate during and after emergencies; writing plans that include evacuation, sheltering in place and lockdown plans to protect people and property; plans to recover computer hardware, connectivity and data; and training employees on the plans.

Acceleration.net offers a secure location for businesses to store servers and other hard-ware, as well as its own hard-

ware, to provide data connec-tions and backup services at its Gainesville Data Center.

As an Internet service provider to several other ISPs and the data center for numerous businesses, President Ken

Tambling said an outage at the company would be felt by “many tens of thousands of people.”

To make sure that doesn’t happen, the data center is steel reinforced and has a diesel generator that can operate for weeks at a time, he said. The center is temperature and humidity controlled, and includes two independent power circuits and racks of batteries.

Tambling said such a facility can provide more security for a company’s servers than their own building. Companies can also have a backup in another data center, preferably in a different geographic location, he said.

Tambling said a lot of busi-nesses are lured into a false sense of security by backing up data. He said backup data should be periodically restored and used to make sure it is still useable.

“What I’ve seen is when people

need data, they went to restore it and found their version was now incompatible,” he said.

Regular tests also can protect against lost passwords, he said.

Since the 2004 hurricane season, Florida Food Service has outsourced some of its disaster plan to a company that provides planning assistance and mobile of ces.

Agility Recovery, headquar-tered in Charlotte, North Carolina, can mobilize genera-tors and fuel, provide telephone and internet connectivity through satellite, and provide all or parts of a fully stocked of ce, including computers, fax machines, printers, desks and chairs, including the of ce itself through its nationwide real estate arrangements or by rolling in a fully furnished doublewide trailer.

“The ’04 hurricanes taught us a lot about how to be ready,” Islam said.

Better preparations can help businesses bounce back

STAR-BANNER/FILE

Steel storm panels are installed over the windows at Manning Millwork & Door in Ocala in preparation for Hurricane France on Sept. 2, 2004.

On the WebThe following websites include

tips for preparing business disaster plans and services available after disasters:

ready.gov/business ■

fl oridadisaster.org/ ■

dembusiness.asppreparemybusiness.org ■

enterprisefl orida.com/services/ ■

disaster-assistance/sba.gov/content/ ■

disaster-assistanceSign up for weather warning

alerts through CodeRed at codered.alachuacounty.us

The Department of Labor estimates that 40 percent of businesses never reopen aft er a disaster.


Staff report

Hurricane season begins June 1, so it’s time to update emergen-cy plans and phone lists and restock supply kits.

What to do nowDiscuss the types of hazards ■

that could affect your family. Know your home’s vulnerability to storm surge, ooding and wind.

Locate a safe room or the ■

safest areas in your home for each hurricane hazard. In certain circumstances the safest areas may not be your home but within the community.

Determine escape routes and ■

places to meet. These should be measured in tens of miles, not hundreds of miles.

Have an out-of-state friend as ■

a family contact.Have a plan for pets in case an ■

evacuation is ordered.Keep emergency telephone ■

numbers by the phone; make sure children know how and when to call 911. (See list of key phone numbers on PAGE 3)

Check insurance coverage — ■

ood damage is not usually covered by homeowners insurance.

Stock non-perishable emer- ■

gency supplies and a Disaster Supply Kit. (See checklist on PAGE 5)

Make sure you have an NOAA ■

weather radio, and remember to replace its battery every six months.

Take rst aid, CPR and ■

disaster preparedness classes.Trim trees and shrubs. Make ■

sure debris is cleared prior to a hurricane warning announce-ment when trash pickup is suspended.

Note: Do not attempt to trim any vegetation growing on or near any overhead power lines. Only specially trained line-clearing professionals should do so.

Make plans to secure prop- ■

erty. Permanent storm shutters offer the best protection for windows. Another option: Board

up windows with plywood that is cut to t and ready to install. Do not tape windows.

Install straps or additional ■

clips to securely fasten the roof to the frame structure. This will reduce roof damage.

Clear loose and clogged rain ■

gutters and downspouts.

What to do when the storm is coming

Here’s a list compiled from several sources:

Most important: Listen to the ■

radio or TV for information.If someone in your home ■

depends on electric-powered, life-sustaining equipment, review your family emergency plan for backup power or make arrangements to evacuate.

Before lowering a TV antenna ■

or satellite dish, make sure to turn off and unplug the TV and avoid power lines.

Turn off all swimming pool ■

pumps and lters and wrap them in waterproof materials.

Turn off and unplug any ■

unnecessary electrical equip-ment.

Secure your home, close ■

storm shutters, secure outdoor objects or bring them indoors.

Turn off utilities if instructed ■

to do so. Otherwise, turn the refrigerator and freezer to the coldest settings ahead of time to keep food fresh longer in the event of a power outage.

Turn off propane tanks. ■

Avoid using the phone, except ■

for serious emergencies.Ensure a supply of water for ■

sanitary purposes, such as cleaning and ushing toilets. Fill the bathtub and other large containers with water.

What to do during the storm

Go to your safe room — a ■

small interior room, closet or hallway on the lowest level.

Stay indoors and away from ■

windows and glass doors.Close all interior doors. ■

Secure and brace all external doors.

Keep curtains and blinds ■

closed. Remember that a “lull” might be the eye of the storm; winds could pick up again.

If the roof begins to leak or ■

rain blows in around doors and

windows, do not go outside to repair damage during the storm.

Aft er the stormWatch for downed power lines ■

that are still live.Don’t strike matches until you ■

are sure no gas is leaking.Look out for broken glass, ■

nails and other sharp debris.Snakes and other dangerous ■

animals could be on the loose.Do not use water until the ■

local water utility, through the media, says it is safe to do so. Use only bottled or disinfected water. (For information on disin-fecting water, see related list.)

If your home is damaged, be ■

aware that it still may collapse.Be on the lookout for possible ■

looters.Avoid driving: Roads may be ■

littered with debris and traf c lights may not be working.

Disinfecting waterBoil at rolling boil for 10 ■

minutes, let cool, add a pinch of salt for taste, and then pour the water back and forth between clean containers to reduce at taste.

Chlorination: Use unscented ■

liquid chloride bleach, add eight drops to each gallon of water, and then stir and let stand for 30 minutes. If water does not have slight chlorine odor, repeat the dosage and let stand for 15 minutes.

Chlorine or iodine tablets: ■

Follow directions on the package, but if directions are not given use one tablet for each quart of water. Make sure the tablet dissolves and mix thor-oughly. Let stand for 30 minutes.

Liquid iodine: Add ve drops ■

of 2 percent iodine to each quart of clear water, for cloudy water, add 10 drops of 2 percent iodine to each quart of water. Mix thoroughly and let stand for 30 minutes.

Insurance tipsThe Florida Department of

Financial Services offers the following tips:

Purchase insurance now: ■

Insurance companies do not accept new applications or requests for increased coverage once a hurricane nears Florida.

Know what your insurance ■

covers: Flood and wind damage are often covered in separate policies. Decide if you need this protection and contact your agent for more information.

Make sure you have adequate ■

coverage: Consider increasing your coverage if your policy doesn’t cover the current value of your home and its contents.

Know the name of your ■

insurers: Write down the names of your agent and agency, your insurance company, your policy number and a telephone number to report a claim.

Safeguard your records: Store ■

important insurance and nancial papers in a safe and accessible place.

Tips for boat ownersWhen possible, store boats out ■

of the water on land or on a lift to protect them from dangerous storm surges.

If the boat is on a lift, tether ■

the bow and stern to the lift itself so that high water will not oat it off the lift.

Remove all canvas and boat ■

covers if possible and secure below or store elsewhere.

Duct tape vertical windows to ■

prevent water from entering the boat.

When docked, double- or ■

triple-line boats, allowing them to move with the water but keeping them tight enough to prevent the vessel from slam-ming against stationary poles and docks.

Position fenders where they ■

will best protect the hull from surrounding stationary objects.

Clean out lockers and ■

refrigerators of perishable foods.

Do not lock the boat or yacht. ■

After a storm, authorities will secure the area and check buildings and boats for people and will break down all locked doors to complete a thorough sweep.

Know what to do before, during and aft er the storm

DOUG ENGLE/STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER/FILE

Jim White pumps gas at the BP station on State Road 200 in 2013. Remember to fi ll up your motor vehicles before a storm strikes.


■ TROPICAL DISTURBANCE: First stage of unstable weather that may develop into a hurricane.■ TROPICAL DEPRESSION: The tropical activity has a low-pressure area that could become a hurricane. Highest wind speed is 38 mph.■ TROPICAL STORM: Wind speeds of 39-73 mph. Low-pressure area is well-defined by rotating circulation.■ TROPICAL STORM WATCH: An announcement that a tropical storm poses a threat within 36 hours.■ TROPICAL STORM WARNING: Tropical storm is expected within 24 hours.■ HURRICANE WATCH: An announcement that a hurricane is expected within 36 hours.■ HURRICANE WARNING: A hurricane is expected within 24 hours. Because of the erratic nature of hurricanes, the warning could come only a few hours before.

Tropical weather terms

WebsitesHere is a list of websites that track the progress of approaching hurricanes:

The National Weather Service: nws.noaa.gov

The National Hurricane Center: nhc.noaa.gov

The Federal Emergency Management Agency: fema.gov

The Weather Channel: weather.com

Florida Forecast: floridaforecast.com

Accuweather: accuweather.com

Hurricane myths

FACT: Surge of high water asstorm reaches land is caused bywinds pushing ocean surfaceahead of the storm.

MYTH:Low pressurein storm’s eyecauses stormsurge.

FACT: Friction decreasessustained winds but increasesgusts. Storm weakens becauseit lacks moisture and heatthat ocean provided.

MYTH:Friction overland killsthe storm.

FACT: Size and intensity areindependent. Hurricane Andrew,for example, was very intensebut relatively small.

MYTH:Big hurricanesare intensehurricanes.

FACT: All doors andwindows should be shut. Thedifference between pressureinside the house and outsidein the storm is not enoughto cause an explosion.No house is airtight.

MYTH:Windows,doors shouldbe closed onthe storm side,open on theopposite side.


Some common misconceptions about thephysics of hurricanes:








SOURCES: National Hurricane Center, The Audubon SocietyField Guide to North American Weather; research by PAT CARR

The eye of a storm

Thick cloud walls thatcan reach 7 miles to9 miles in heightsurround center

Absorb huge amountsof moisture from ocean,causing heaviest rainfall

Winds here move in counter-clockwisedirection with great speed; combined with low pressure can raise ocean surfaceby 23 ft. to 40 ft.

Eye

Eyewall

AP

Any storm of Category 3 or more is considered major.

Moderate96-110 mph winds

Extensive111-129 mph winds

Extreme130-156 mph winds

CatastrophicWinds over 157 mph

Minimal74-95 mph winds

Hurricane strengths

CATEGORY 1

CATEGORY 2

CATEGORY 3

CATEGORY 4

CATEGORY 5

Storm surge:4-5 ft.

Storm surge:6-8 ft.

Storm surge:9-12 ft.


Storm surge:18+ ft.

CARIBBEAN SEA

ATLANTICOCEAN

GULFOF

MEXICO

10˚

20˚

30˚

VENEZUELA

COSTARICA

NICARAGUA

HONDURAS

ELSALVADOR

GUATEMALA

BELIZE

YUCATANPENINSULA

MEXICO

CUBA

JAMAICA

HAITI DOMINICANREPUBLIC

PUERTORICO

BAHAMAS

Texas

Arkansas

Louisiana

Mississippi

Alabama Georgia

Tennessee

SouthCarolina

NorthCarolina

Florida

15˚

25˚

Wilmington

Jacksonville

Cape Canaveral

Miami

Tampa

Savannah

Charleston

CedarKey

Ocala

ExampleRead west to 63° West

Read north to 34° North

0˚ 10˚0˚ 20˚˚0˚

MILES

90˚ 80˚ 70˚ 60˚95˚ 85˚ 75˚ 65˚

2014 Atlantic namesArthurBerthaCristobalDollyEdouardFayGonzaloHannaIsaiasJosephine

KyleLauraMarcoNanaOmarPauletteReneSallyTeddyVickyWilfred

Once a storm has caused greatdamage, its name is retired.

Retired names

Carol, Hazel, EdnaJanet, Connie, Diane, IoneAudreyDonnaCarlaFloraCleo, Dora, HildaBetsyBeulahCamilleCeliaAgnesCarmenEloiseAnitaDavid, FredericAllenAliciaElena, GloriaGilbertHugoBobAndrewLuis, Marilyn, Opal, RoxanneCesar, Fran, HortenseGeorges, MitchFloyd, LennyKeithAllison, Iris, MichelleIsidore, LilliFabian, Isabel, JuanCharley, Frances, Ivan, JeanneDennis, Katrina, Rita, Stan, WilmaDean, Felix, NoelGustav, Ike, PalomaIgor, TomasIreneSandyIngrid

195419551957196019611963196419651967196919701972197419751977197919801983198519881989199119921995199619981999200020012002200320042005200720082010201120122013

HURR

ICANE

TRAC

KING M

APImportant localinformation,radar, updatedforecasts andthis trackingmap availableat

Map and Graphics by ROB MACK/Staff artist;SOURCE: National Weather Service

SERVING ALACHUA COUNTY SINCE 1977

RESIDENTIAL-COMMERCIAL

GAINESVILLE(352) 376-3419

ALACHUA(386) 462-4803

REROOFS & REPAIRS• Licensed • Bonded • Insured

RC0032784 | CCC 1328923

A TAMKO APPROVEDROOFING CONTRACTOR

Ask for a FREE Estimate - Visit Us Online!

WWW.MCDAVIDROOFING.COM

VISIT OUR SHOWROOM!

12 | STORM GUIDE SUNDAY , MAY 25 , 2014 THE GAINESVILE SUN | 13

■ TROPICAL DISTURBANCE: First stage of unstable weather that may develop into a hurricane.■ TROPICAL DEPRESSION: The tropical activity has a low-pressure area that could become a hurricane. Highest wind speed is 38 mph.■ TROPICAL STORM: Wind speeds of 39-73 mph. Low-pressure area is well-defined by rotating circulation.■ TROPICAL STORM WATCH: An announcement that a tropical storm poses a threat within 36 hours.■ TROPICAL STORM WARNING: Tropical storm is expected within 24 hours.■ HURRICANE WATCH: An announcement that a hurricane is expected within 36 hours.■ HURRICANE WARNING: A hurricane is expected within 24 hours. Because of the erratic nature of hurricanes, the warning could come only a few hours before.

Tropical weather terms

WebsitesHere is a list of websites that track the progress of approaching hurricanes:

The National Weather Service: nws.noaa.gov

The National Hurricane Center: nhc.noaa.gov

The Federal Emergency Management Agency: fema.gov

The Weather Channel: weather.com

Florida Forecast: floridaforecast.com

Accuweather: accuweather.com

Hurricane myths










Some common misconceptions about thephysics of hurricanes:








SOURCES: National Hurricane Center, The Audubon SocietyField Guide to North American Weather; research by PAT CARR

The eye of a storm

Thick cloud walls thatcan reach 7 miles to9 miles in heightsurround center

Absorb huge amountsof moisture from ocean,causing heaviest rainfall

Winds here move in counter-clockwisedirection with great speed; combined with low pressure can raise ocean surfaceby 23 ft. to 40 ft.

Eye

Eyewall

AP

Any storm of Category 3 or more is considered major.

Moderate96-110 mph winds

Extensive111-129 mph winds

Extreme130-156 mph winds

CatastrophicWinds over 157 mph

Minimal74-95 mph winds

Hurricane strengths

CATEGORY 1

CATEGORY 2

CATEGORY 3

CATEGORY 4

CATEGORY 5

Storm surge:4-5 ft.

Storm surge:6-8 ft.



Storm surge:18+ ft.

CARIBBEAN SEA

ATLANTICOCEAN

GULFOF

MEXICO

10˚

20˚

30˚

VENEZUELA

COSTARICA

NICARAGUA

HONDURAS

ELSALVADOR

GUATEMALA

BELIZE

YUCATANPENINSULA

MEXICO

CUBA

JAMAICA

HAITI DOMINICANREPUBLIC

PUERTORICO

BAHAMAS

Texas

Arkansas

Louisiana

Mississippi

Alabama Georgia

Tennessee

SouthCarolina

NorthCarolina

Florida

15˚

25˚

Wilmington

Jacksonville

Cape Canaveral

Miami

Tampa

Savannah

Charleston

CedarKey

Ocala

ExampleRead west to 63° West

Read north to 34° North

0˚ 10˚0˚ 20˚˚0˚

MILES

90˚ 80˚ 70˚ 60˚95˚ 85˚ 75˚ 65˚

2014 Atlantic namesArthurBerthaCristobalDollyEdouardFayGonzaloHannaIsaiasJosephine

KyleLauraMarcoNanaOmarPauletteReneSallyTeddyVickyWilfred

Once a storm has caused greatdamage, its name is retired.

Retired names

Carol, Hazel, EdnaJanet, Connie, Diane, IoneAudreyDonnaCarlaFloraCleo, Dora, HildaBetsyBeulahCamilleCeliaAgnesCarmenEloiseAnitaDavid, FredericAllenAliciaElena, GloriaGilbertHugoBobAndrewLuis, Marilyn, Opal, RoxanneCesar, Fran, HortenseGeorges, MitchFloyd, LennyKeithAllison, Iris, MichelleIsidore, LilliFabian, Isabel, JuanCharley, Frances, Ivan, JeanneDennis, Katrina, Rita, Stan, WilmaDean, Felix, NoelGustav, Ike, PalomaIgor, TomasIreneSandyIngrid

195419551957196019611963196419651967196919701972197419751977197919801983198519881989199119921995199619981999200020012002200320042005200720082010201120122013

HURR

ICANE

TRAC

KING M

AP

Important localinformation,radar, updatedforecasts andthis trackingmap availableat

Map and Graphics by ROB MACK/Staff artist;SOURCE: National Weather Service

SERVING ALACHUA COUNTY SINCE 1977

RESIDENTIAL-COMMERCIAL

GAINESVILLE(352) 376-3419

ALACHUA(386) 462-4803

REROOFS & REPAIRS• Licensed • Bonded • Insured

RC0032784 | CCC 1328923

A TAMKO APPROVEDROOFING CONTRACTOR

Ask for a FREE Estimate - Visit Us Online!

WWW.MCDAVIDROOFING.COM

VISIT OUR SHOWROOM!

12 | STORM GUIDE SUNDAY , MAY 25 , 2014 THE GAINESVILE SUN | 13

Staff report

If you are a pet owner, your emergency plan needs to take the animals into account. Some guidance:

SURVIVAL KIT FOR PETSPet carrier ■

Three-day supply of ■

food and waterFirst aid kit ■

Special medications ■

Vet records ■

Proof of rabies vaccina- ■

tionSpare leash and collar ■

Familiar toys and/or ■

blanket to reduce stressPet sanitary items ■

(litter, collection bags, paper towels)

Current photo of you ■

and your pet, and also a description of pet (for use in case pet is lost during storm).

TIPS FROM FEMAIdentify a shelter: Not ■

all shelters take pets.Check in advance ■

which motels and hotels in the area allow pets. Go to gopetfriendly.com.

Identify vets/veterinary ■

hospitals in cities where you might seek shelter.

Tags: Pet ID tags ■

should be current and securely fastened to collar. Consider micro-chipping.

During a disaster: ■

Bring pets inside; have newspapers for sanitary purposes; feed the animals moist or canned food so they will need less water to drink; separate dogs and cats.

After a disaster: Take ■

pets along if you leave town; leash pets when outside as familiar scents and landmarks may be altered, leading to confusion; be mindful of changes in pet behavior brought on by anxiety.

By Rob C. WitzelStaff writer

The last hurricane to wreak signi cant damage on North Central Florida did so before the smart-phone revolution began in 2007.

While most Floridians are aware of the usual storm supplies — candles, water, batteries and duct tape — it’s also time to factor mobile device preparedness into the equation.

BatteriesA smartphone is only

useful when it actually has power, and some of us can barely get through a day on a single charge. You might as well cut that down to hours when it’s the only form of comput-ing you have available. Android devices usually have separate batteries installed so you can keep a couple extra on hand. iPhones do not. You might want to consider a Mophie case for your iPhone, as it can effect doubles your battery power by conceal-ing an extra battery within the case. This has every-day practicality.

There also are numerous portable charging devices on the market from companies like Mophie and IOGEAR that store a signi cant charge long enough to recharge a device multiple times. If you’re prone to lose electricity for long periods, this would be essential.

It’s also important to have a power inverter for your car that can use the power of that engine to

run or charge a device with a household plug. Be sure to have proper ventilation when leaving a car idling.

Network connection

You can use virtually any device’s data stream as a hotspot to run other devices that otherwise are cut off from connectivity. Take a few moments ahead of a storm to be sure you know how to perform this important function. If you are faced with the double blow of losing your cell service as well as home service, be sure to know where in your neighborhood you might be able to connect to another stream.

It never hurts to check with neighbors to see if they still have home Wi-Fi or are on a cellular network that has not lost

service.Carriers generally will

set up temporary towers after a storm, which is critical, but you might nd something as simple as a Starbucks or McDonald’s that still is operating. Institutions like schools, government centers and hospitals will usually be the rst to have power restored, so see if they are streaming any Wi-Fi.

AppsInevitably, most people

wait until it’s too late to download apps that can be critical to get through the storm and beyond. While you might not want these hogging up memory year-round, it’s important to make a list of apps and services that might be worthy of downloading the moment a storm seems imminent.

Here are ve to consider:Pocket First Aid & CPR ■

($1.99) — The American Heart Association’s app that you never want to need but also never want to be without.

Dropbox (free) — Store ■

important les and documents in the cloud from desktop computers that can easily be retrieved from your mobile device.

Life 360 (free) — Easily ■

track and locate missing family members via the pings from their smart-phone.

StopDisaster ($1.99) — ■

Quite frankly, most people are ill-prepared for a major storm. This app will help you build checklists and maintain and emer-gency kit.

Brightest Flashlight ■

(free) — When you’re in the heat of the moment, nothing is more useful than a ashlight, and our smartphones can be very effective in a pinch. Just watch the batteries.

Don’t forget about your pets during storm preparations

FILE PHOTO

Frost, an English bulldog, prepares to go outside while taking shelter during Hurricane Francis at Vanguard High School in Ocala in 2004.

Keeping cellphones alive aft er storm

THE ASSOCIATED PRESS/FILE

People charge their mobile devices at a free charging station outside the Belmar Recreation Center in Belmar, N.J., after superstorm Sandy in November 2012.

There are numerous portable charging devices available.


Staff report

If you are directed by local authorities to evacuate, do so. Be sure to follow their instructions. Monitor TV and radio reports for the proper information.

A few other notes from emergency of cials:

Be mindful that mobile homes or ■

temporary structures can be hazardous during hurricanes, no matter how well-fastened to the ground.

Select an evacuation destination that is ■

nearest to your home, preferably in the same county, or at least minimize the distance over which you must travel.

Keep in mind that the hotels and other sheltering options in most inland metropolitan areas are likely to ll quick-ly.

If you evacuate to another county or ■

region, be prepared to wait in traf c.

If possible, make arrangements to stay ■

with a friend or relative who resides

closest to your home and who will not have to evacuate. Discuss with your intended host the details of your family evacuation plan.

Make hotel or motel reservations ■

before you leave.

If your are unable to stay with friends ■

or family and no hotel/motel rooms are available, then, as a last resort, go to a shelter.

Information about shelters will be available through newspapers, televi-sion, radio and Emergency Management. Locations can change quickly, so stay informed.

Shelters are not designed for comfort ■

and do not usually accept pets. Bring your disaster supply kit to the shelter. Make sure that you ll up your car with gas before you leave.

It is best to bring your own chairs, ■

bedding and food. Do not bring weapons, alcohol or illegal drugs.

What to do if you evacuate

THE ASSOCIATED PRESS/FILE

Daytona Beach Shores police offi cers check ID’s of motorists wanting to cross the bridge onto the beachside as a mandatory evacuation went into eff ect in Daytona Beach due to Hurricane Francis on Sept. 3, 2004.


These sites will serve as shelters for the general population or those with special needs during a

hurricane or other natural di-saster. Shelter openings will be announced based on the sever-ity and potential damage of a storm.

ALACHUA264-6500

Rawlings Elementary School ■

(Special needs)3500 NE 15th St.Gainesville

Westwood Middle School ■

(Special needs)3215 NW 15th Ave.Gainesville

Buchholz High School ■

(Special needs)5510 NW 27th Ave.Gainesville

Alachua Elementary School ■

(Special needs)13800 NW 152nd PlaceAlachua

Talbot Elementary School ■

5701 NW 43th St.Gainesville

Williams Elementary School ■

1245 SE Seventh Ave.Gainesville

Shell Elementary School ■

21633 SE 65th Ave.Hawthorne

Archer Community School ■

14533 SW 170th St.Archer

Eastside High School ■

1201 SE 45th TerraceGainesville

Kanapaha Middle School ■

5005 SW 75th St.Gainesville

Oak View Middle School ■

1203 SW 250th St.Newberry

Waldo Community School ■

14450 NE 148th PlaceWaldo

High Springs Comm. School ■

1015 N. MainHigh Springs

BRADFORD904-966-6336

Bradford High School ■

581 N. Temple Ave.Starke

Bradford Middle School ■

527 N. Orange St.Starke

Starke Elementary School ■

(Special needs and pet shelter)1000 Weldon St.Bldg. 4Starke

Lawtey Community School ■

North Park Street and U.S. 301Lawtey

Brooker Elementary School ■

18551 Charlotte Ave. (SR 18)Brooker

Hampton Elementary School ■

SR 221 and CR 18Hampton

Southside Elementary School ■

823 Stanbury St.Starke

Reception and Medical Center ■

(Sex offender shelter)7765 S. CR 231Lake Butler

CLAY904-284-7703

Keystone Heights High School ■

(Pet-friendly shelter)900 SW Orchid Ave.Keystone Heights

McRae Elementary ■

6770 County Road 315 Keystone Heights

COLUMBIA 386-786-1125

Westside Elementary School ■

(Risk shelter)1956 SW County Road 252BLake City

Fort White High School ■

(Risk shelter)17828 SW State Road 47Fort White

Pinemount Elementary ■

(Risk shelter)324 SW Gabriel PlaceLake City

Mason City Community Center ■

U.S. 41 SouthLake City

Fort White Elementary School ■

18119 SW State Road 47Fort White

Lake City Middle School ■

843 SW Arlington BoulevardLake City

Columbia High School ■

469 SE Fighting Tiger DriveLake City

Summers Elementary School ■

1388 SW McFarlane Ave.Lake City

Five Points Elementary School ■

3093 NW Johnson St.Lake City

Melrose Elementary School ■

820 SE Putnam St.Lake City

Columbia City Elem. School ■

7438 SW State Road 47Lake City

Richardson Recreation Center ■

255 NE Coach Anders LaneLake City

Niblack Middle School ■

837 NE Broadway St.Lake City

Lulu Community Center ■

205 SE Community DriveLake City

Richardson Middle School ■

649 SE Pennsylvania St.Lake City

Fort White Community Center ■

17579 SW State Road 47Fort White

Win eld Community Center ■

1324 NW Win eld St.Lake City

Spring eld Community Center ■

NW Suwannee Valley RoadLake City

Deep Creek Comm. Center ■

11934 North U.S. 41Lake City

DIXIE498-1240, Ext. 7

Ruth Rains Middle School ■

981 SW CR 351Cross City

Anderson Elementary ■

815 SW CR 351Cross City

Old Town Elementary School ■

(Special needs and general population)

221 SE 136th Ave.Old Town

GILCHRIST386-935-5400

Trenton Elementary School ■

1350 SW SR 26Trenton

Bell Elementary School ■

2771 E. Bell Ave.Bell

Health Academy at Bell High ■

(Special needs)930 S. Main St.Bell

LEVY486-5213

Bronson Elementary School ■

(Special needs)SR 24Bronson

Chie and Elementary School ■

1205 NW Fourth Ave.Chie and

Williston Elementary School ■

801 S. Main St.Williston

Bronson High School ■

(Secondary shelter)1 Eagle DriveBronson

Williston High School ■

(Secondary shelter)427 W. Noble Ave.Williston

Chie and Middle School ■

(Secondary shelter)811 NW Fourth DriveChie and

PUTNAM386-329-0379

Ochwilla Elementary School ■

(Red Cross and pet friendly)229 N. SR 21Hawthorne

Q.I. Roberts Middle School ■

(American Red Cross)901 SR 100Florahome

Interlachen Elementary School ■

(American Red Cross)251 S. SR 315Interlachen

Jenkins Middle School ■

(Last resort shelter)1100 N. 19th St.Palatka

Palatka High School(Last resort shelter)302 Mellon RoadPalatka

SUWANNEE386-364-3405

In an emergency, call the number above or 386-362-2222.

UNION386-496-4300

Union County High School(Special needs)1000 S. Lake Ave.Lake Butler

A hurricane is on the way, where can you go? 16 | SUNDAY , MAY 25 , 2014 STORM GUIDE THE GAINESVILLE SUN | www.gainesville.com

By Cindy SwirkoStaff writer

It’s been 10 year since two lusty ladies blew into Marion County and left behind count-less fallen trees and homes without power for weeks.

Hurricanes Frances and Jeanne had slowed to tropical storm strength by the time they crossed North Central Florida, yet they still caused misery, including three deaths related to the storm.

As most Floridians have come to learn, storms don’t have to be named to pack a punch. And those that pop up seemingly out of nowhere can be even more frightening because they come without the warnings that accompany approaching hurricanes.

The thunderous storms form on most summer afternoons as cool sea breezes collide with air heated over scorched land. The result can be hurricane-strength wind gusts, lightning, hail and heavy rain that can cause trees to topple and driving to become a test of nerves.

“Most of our summertime thunderstorms are microbursts that affect a relatively small area, and they could have hurricane-force winds with them,” said Al Sandrik, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service in Jacksonville. “All that wind in the upper atmosphere is actually coming down to the ground.”

The average thunderstorm contains about 275 million gallons of water, which is enough water to ll 416 Olym-pic-sized swimming pools, according to the Florida Divi-sion of Emergency Manage-ment.

No other part of the nation has more thunderstorm activity than Florida, according to the Florida Climate Center at Florida State University.

The western half of the peninsula typically has 80 days a year with thunder and light-ning. Central Florida’s frequen-cy of summer thunderstorms

equals that of the world’s maximum thunderstorm area — the Lake Victoria region of equatorial Africa.

Sandrik said microbursts cover an area up to 2.5 miles in diameter. Thunderstorms that cover a wider area are called macrobursts.

Advances in technology and computer modeling have enabled meteorologists to forecast the formation of storms hours in advance and to track them as the move.

“We always encourage people to be weather ready and weather cognizant. We would like people on any given day to be on weather watch,” Sandrik said.

While some inland residents may scoff at developing a hurricane plan, Alachua County Emergency Management Director Dave Donnelly said that the plans may be needed should a particularly violent

summer thunderstorm erupt.Experts urge the public to

listen for severe thunderstorm watches and warnings. When the sky darkens, look and listen for increasing wind, ashes of lightning and the sound of

thunder.When severe thunderstorms

threaten, move to a sturdy building or car. Do not take shelter in small sheds, under isolated trees, or in convertible automobiles. Windows should

be avoided, and boaters should try to get out of the water or the area.

People should avoid using landline telephones and electri-cal appliances, which can conduct electricity.

If possible, cars should be moved to a carport or garage to prevent damage. Motorists who feel uncomfortable driving in a storm with heavy rain should pull into a safe spot. It is against the law for drivers to use their ashing emergency lights if the vehicles are moving.

Small summer storms can pack hurricane’s punch

BRAD MCCLENNY/STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER/FILE

The carport and a Ford Ranger were damaged at a home on the corner of Northeast 16th Terrace and Northeast 28th Avenue after a storm ripped through Northeast Gainesville in 2010.

Portable generators

Only qualifi ed electricians ■

should install generators.Never run generators inside, or ■

in a garage, because they pro-duce deadly carbon monoxide fumes.

Always thoroughly read the ■

manufacturer’s instructions to avoid dangerous shortcuts and ensure the safe operation of your generator.

Keep generators away from ■

all open windows — includ-ing neighbors’ windows — to prevent deadly exhaust from entering a home or business.

Don’t directly connect your ■

generator to your home’s wir-ing. Power from a generator connected to a home’s wiring will “back feed” into utility lines, potentially leading to seri-ous injury or death.

Never fuel a hot generator or ■

one that is running; hot engine parts or exhaust can ignite gasoline.

Turn off all connected ap- ■

pliances before starting your generator. Turn appliances on one at a time, never exceeding the generator’s rated wattage.

Don’t touch a generator if you ■

are wet or are standing in water or on damp ground.

FILE PHOTO

A fallen tree and power lines block the 1600 block of Northwest Seventh Avenue in Gainesville in September 2004.


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Few news events touch the lives of so many people in our region as when big weather hits. We respond

accordingly.The Gainesville Sun has a

disaster response plan that covers not just how we’ll deploy reporters and photographers to cover a major storm, but also how we’ll manage to publish their work if utility services are compromised or some roads are

impassible.It has been a

while since we had to pull that plan off the shelf and put it in motion, but we’re ready.

One of the rst things we will do

is remove any restriction from our website to news and infor-mation related to an approach-ing tropical system. We want our readers to have easy access to news that can help them respond appropriately. So, limitations that normally exist for non-subscribers to our website will be suspended until well after the crisis passes.

Fortunately, we have two systems working nearly in parallel in Ocala and Gainesville. The Sun and the Ocala Star-Banner operate in tandem each day. We can easily shift staff from one facility to another, if need be. We have printing presses operating in both cities, and we share many other resources.

In addition to that, we are part of Halifax Media Group, with news operations in more than a dozen cities in Florida alone. Plenty of help is near at hand.

We also would like to call on you.

We need help from the public in telling this story fully. We need photos, video, up-to-mo-

ment details on where roads and bridges are ooded, and other details that can potentially save lives.

We will be using social media such as Facebook and Twitter to gather and distribute submis-sions from the public. We invite you to join our Facebook page and follow us on Twitter.

You also can email us with any media as attachments, to [email protected]. Or you can call us at 374-5013.

In the event of severe weather or a similar wide-spread news event, we will publish our contact information prominent-ly in print and online.

I was working as editor of the newspaper in Tuscaloosa,

Alabama, on April 27, 2011, when an F5 tornado devastated the city. It remains one of the most terrible days of my life, but also one of the most uplifting. The way the community came together to care for one another was truly remarkable.

While I pray that we never experience such a disaster here, I am con dent we would see the same sort of support from rst responders, public of cials, businesses and institutions, and the public in general.

The staff of The Gainesville Sun is ready to do its part as well.

Doug Ray is the executive edi-tor of The Gainesville Sun and Ocala Star-Banner.

DOUG RAY

If disaster strikes, Sun ready to keep residents informedIn the event of a storm, there will be unrestricted access to information on gainesville.com.

UNNAMED AUG. 1949UNNAMED SEPT. 1935 EASY SEPT. 1950

UNNAMED SEPT. 1935UNNAMED SEPT. 1896

DORA SEPT. 1964DONNA SEPT. 1960 ELENA AUG. 1985

CHARLEY AUG. 2004 FRANCES SEPT. 2004 JEANNE SEPT. 2004

MAJOR STORMS TO PASS NEAR ALACHUA COUNTY


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Staff report

Everyone in Florida knows, or should know, to prepare food in case of a hurricane. But what should you store? How

much?The website hurricanecenter.com

offers some suggestions, including 10 foods that will serve you well during and after a storm.

■ ■ ■First, let’s look at the list of items

you should not be buying. Do not buy snacks like salty chips, crackers and nuts. Aside from not having any nutritional value, these will only make you thirsty.

Peanut butter, although rich in protein, is also salty, so take it in minimal amounts, or if you think you cannot control yourself, keep this off your list. Candy is also undesirable because aside from causing you to be thirsty, it also has a high level of sodium.

With regard to liquids, do not stock up on sodas and alcohol. Alcohol is obviously not a good idea since you need to be alert and fully conscious in a hurricane situation. Instead, buy vegetable and fruit juices. They are a much healthier alternative. If you have infants in your home, monitor their intake of fruit juices because too much of this can cause illnesses like diarrhea. Also do not binge on sports drinks — drink them in moderation.

Here are some good ideas of provisions to have and meals to prepare:

RAMEN NOODLESFood can’t get any easier than this.

To enjoy ramen noodles, you just need to pour boiling water over them. If you want to get creative and make this into a salad, buy chicken- avored noodles and draw off the broth. Add about a teaspoon of peanut butter and some bacon bits and dried chives and you have a fast and easy Asian noodle salad.

BACON AND SAUSAGES Purchase shelf-stable bacon and

hard sausages and you can have all the bacon, lettuce and tomato sandwiches you want. If you run out of bread or lettuce, you can always

add these two to your pork and beans. If you want to intensify the avor of your bean salad, it would also be a good idea to put in a little bacon and sausage.

CONDIMENTS IN SINGLE-SERVE PACKETSNot only are they handy, sanitary

and easy to organize, single-serve condiments of mayonnaise, mustard and ketchup are shelf-sta-ble. The uses for these condiments are endless. They can be used as dressing or to add extra avor to your canned tuna or drained ramen noodles.

CHUNKY PASTA SAUCE AND SALSASalsa is a good dressing for your

sandwich. You also can use it to make a salad by mixing it with other ingredients like dried apricots and beans. The chunky pasta sauce will be delicious with your bacon, cheese and your drained ramen noodles. If you prefer to have pizza instead, put pasta sauce on bread, sprinkle cheese over it and wrap it in foil before grilling.

COOKED TUNA AND CHICKENMix your favorite condiments like

mayonnaise or mustard with cooked tuna and chicken and spread it over bread to have an easy and healthy meal. You also can use these ingredients with ramen noodles. Mix olive oil, some herbs and some beans and add this to your noodles.

MILKShelf-stable milk is good and

healthy to add to your canned soups. Remember to heat this meal rst on the grill. Milk is also essential for your children’s cereal.

CHEESEPurchase shelf-stable cheese.

Good examples of shelf-stable cheese are processed cheese and cheese made with oil. Cheese is perfect for easy and delicious sandwiches. You can transform your cheese into a dip by mixing it with salsa and wrapping this mixture in foil. Grill or melt this mixture. With tortillas, this will make an excellent quesadilla.

CANNED POTATOES AND BEANSBeans can be used as the perfect

topping for salads mixed with ramen noodles. They are also excellent for rice and sausages. For your potatoes, drain them and mix with milk or canned soup. Warm this up on a grill or on a saucepan and top it all off with cheese.

INDIVIDUALLY PACKAGED PUDDINGS/ FRUITFruit in cups are a healthy snack.

You also can add the fruit to some coconut and layer this mixture with pudding to create a parfait. To make a custard sundae, sprinkle some crushed nuts or cookies over it.

RICE AND COUSCOUSPurchase ve-minute rice. To cook

rice and couscous, simply pour boiling water and leave them to cook. Rice and couscous can be accompanied by beans, some tomatoes or whatever is available in your cupboard.

BE PREPAREDWITH SEVERE WEATHER SMS ALERTS

TextGSSEVERE to 22411Sponsored in part by

10 foods to help tame your hurricane hungerFood during power outagesThe U.S. Department of Agriculture-

Food Safety and Inspection Service offers the following tips:

Make sure the freezer is at 0 ■

degrees Fahrenheit or below and the refrigerator is at 40 degrees or below.

Freeze containers of water for ice ■

to help keep food cold.Store food on shelves that will be ■

safely out of the way of contami-nated water in case of fl ooding.

Group food together in the freezer. ■

Obtain block ice or dry ice to keep ■

your refrigerator as cold as possible if the power is going to be out for a prolonged time. Fifty pounds of dry ice should keep an 18-cubic-foot full freezer cold for two days.

If refrigerated food is still cool, you ■

should be able to use it for about 48 hours, but avoid opening the refrig-erator door frequently.

Cook on gas/charcoal grill or stove ■

outdoors only. Canned heat can be used indoors.


JTS SUPPLY INC.352.463.6331

[email protected] • jtssupply.com

If the topic is HURRICANES, TORNADOS,HOME INVASION, or nearly any disastertopic, you can keep your family safe in asafe room from JTS Supply, Inc.

We produce safe rooms, both standardsizes and custom designed, from 1/4”quality steel plate. Delivery and setup isprovided by us; not a third-party.

OUR BEST SELLER6’ W x 6’ H x 4’ D and 2,500 pounds

ProudlyUSAMade!

Staff report

Everyone in Florida knows, or should know, to prepare food in case of a hurricane. But what should you store? How

much?The website hurricanecenter.com

offers some suggestions, including 10 foods that will serve you well during and after a storm.

■ ■ ■First, let’s look at the list of items

you should not be buying. Do not buy snacks like salty chips, crackers and nuts. Aside from not having any nutritional value, these will only make you thirsty.

Peanut butter, although rich in protein, is also salty, so take it in minimal amounts, or if you think you cannot control yourself, keep this off your list. Candy is also undesirable because aside from causing you to be thirsty, it also has a high level of sodium.

With regard to liquids, do not stock up on sodas and alcohol. Alcohol is obviously not a good idea since you need to be alert and fully conscious in a hurricane situation. Instead, buy vegetable and fruit juices. They are a much healthier alternative. If you have infants in your home, monitor their intake of fruit juices because too much of this can cause illnesses like diarrhea. Also do not binge on sports drinks — drink them in moderation.

Here are some good ideas of provisions to have and meals to prepare:

RAMEN NOODLESFood can’t get any easier than this.

To enjoy ramen noodles, you just need to pour boiling water over them. If you want to get creative and make this into a salad, buy chicken- avored noodles and draw off the broth. Add about a teaspoon of peanut butter and some bacon bits and dried chives and you have a fast and easy Asian noodle salad.

BACON AND SAUSAGES Purchase shelf-stable bacon and

hard sausages and you can have all the bacon, lettuce and tomato sandwiches you want. If you run out of bread or lettuce, you can always

add these two to your pork and beans. If you want to intensify the avor of your bean salad, it would also be a good idea to put in a little bacon and sausage.

CONDIMENTS IN SINGLE-SERVE PACKETSNot only are they handy, sanitary

and easy to organize, single-serve condiments of mayonnaise, mustard and ketchup are shelf-sta-ble. The uses for these condiments are endless. They can be used as dressing or to add extra avor to your canned tuna or drained ramen noodles.

CHUNKY PASTA SAUCE AND SALSASalsa is a good dressing for your

sandwich. You also can use it to make a salad by mixing it with other ingredients like dried apricots and beans. The chunky pasta sauce will be delicious with your bacon, cheese and your drained ramen noodles. If you prefer to have pizza instead, put pasta sauce on bread, sprinkle cheese over it and wrap it in foil before grilling.

COOKED TUNA AND CHICKENMix your favorite condiments like

mayonnaise or mustard with cooked tuna and chicken and spread it over bread to have an easy and healthy meal. You also can use these ingredients with ramen noodles. Mix olive oil, some herbs and some beans and add this to your noodles.

MILKShelf-stable milk is good and

healthy to add to your canned soups. Remember to heat this meal rst on the grill. Milk is also essential for your children’s cereal.

CHEESEPurchase shelf-stable cheese.

Good examples of shelf-stable cheese are processed cheese and cheese made with oil. Cheese is perfect for easy and delicious sandwiches. You can transform your cheese into a dip by mixing it with salsa and wrapping this mixture in foil. Grill or melt this mixture. With tortillas, this will make an excellent quesadilla.

CANNED POTATOES AND BEANSBeans can be used as the perfect

topping for salads mixed with ramen noodles. They are also excellent for rice and sausages. For your potatoes, drain them and mix with milk or canned soup. Warm this up on a grill or on a saucepan and top it all off with cheese.

INDIVIDUALLY PACKAGED PUDDINGS/ FRUITFruit in cups are a healthy snack.

You also can add the fruit to some coconut and layer this mixture with pudding to create a parfait. To make a custard sundae, sprinkle some crushed nuts or cookies over it.

RICE AND COUSCOUSPurchase ve-minute rice. To cook

rice and couscous, simply pour boiling water and leave them to cook. Rice and couscous can be accompanied by beans, some tomatoes or whatever is available in your cupboard.

BE PREPAREDWITH SEVERE WEATHER SMS ALERTS

TextGSSEVERE to 22411Sponsored in part by

10 foods to help tame your hurricane hungerFood during power outagesThe U.S. Department of Agriculture-

Food Safety and Inspection Service offers the following tips:

Make sure the freezer is at 0 ■

degrees Fahrenheit or below and the refrigerator is at 40 degrees or below.

Freeze containers of water for ice ■

to help keep food cold.Store food on shelves that will be ■

safely out of the way of contami-nated water in case of fl ooding.

Group food together in the freezer. ■

Obtain block ice or dry ice to keep ■

your refrigerator as cold as possible if the power is going to be out for a prolonged time. Fifty pounds of dry ice should keep an 18-cubic-foot full freezer cold for two days.

If refrigerated food is still cool, you ■

should be able to use it for about 48 hours, but avoid opening the refrig-erator door frequently.

Cook on gas/charcoal grill or stove ■

outdoors only. Canned heat can be used indoors.



When storms damage homes, most homeowners look to their insurance to help them rebuild their lives, but not every hom-eowner reads the ne print.

Since every policy is different, it’s important for a homeowner to look over their policy care-fully and understand what’s in it to avoid surprises, said Bryan Williams, insurance manager for McGriff-Williams Insurance. If any ambiguities or questions arise, he suggests setting up a meeting with the insurance agent to clarify the policy.

“Ask lots of questions, make sure you understand what’s covered, and make sure you understand the deductibles,” he said.

One of the biggest misconcep-tions people have about their home insurance policies is that they assume a standard policy covers oods, Williams said. Flood insurance actually has to be purchased separately.

Flooding is usually de ned as water rising from the outside in, so a normal policy might cover leaks from plumbing, for example, but not storm water.

Flood insurance is mandated by the federal government on any home with a federally backed mortgage. Policies are bought through private insur-ance companies, but the rates are set by the federal govern-ment and determined by several factors, including the risk level of the area, the elevation of the property, the community it’s in and the level of coverage, said Andy Renshaw, oodplain manager for the city of Gainesville.

Depending on these factors, ood insurance can be bought for as little as $129 per year. The level of risk of a property is determined by FEMA, and varies from house to house. One house, for instance, might be halfway in a medium-risk zone and halfway in a high-risk zone.

Though the minimum cover-age protects just the house itself,

homeowners can buy policies that protect the contents of the house as well.

Mold isn’t usually a problem after storms, since people tend to call and have water damage taken care of right away. Howev-er, it can be an issue if a hom-eowner waits too long after a ood to get the house checked out, said Eric Ehrlund, general manager of Restoration Special-ists, which serves several counties throughout Florida.

Since people in Gainesville usually park their vehicles in safe spots during storms, there aren’t a lot of claims for storm-related damage, Williams said. When there is, it’s usually a falling limb.

Every driver is required by law to have liability insurance, which covers only damage to another vehicle. In order to be protected against any damage that a hurricane might bring, comprehensive insurance is necessary.

Most vehicle damage resulting from storms is cosmetic or structural, which means it should be taken to a collision specialist for repair, rather than a mechanical specialist.

Unlike homes, around 90 percent of comprehensive policies for automobiles cover damage from ooding, Williams said.

The city of Gainesville gets a 15 percent discount on ood insurance, and that discount could soon go up to 20 percent, Renshaw said, because the city is working to get a better rating from the National Flood Insur-ance Program’s Community Rating System. The Community Rating System is a program that rewards cities that exceed the minimum oodplain manage-ment activities set by the National Flood Insurance Program with discounts on insurance.

In Gainesville, the rates vary widely, generally ranging from

around $200 to over $10,000 per year.

A large portion of storm-relat-ed damage to houses and vehicles comes from wind and falling trees, Ehrlund said. Damage from wind and falling trees is also the most expensive to repair, he said.

The cost to get it xed varies on what blows where, Ehrlund said, ranging anywhere from a few thousand dollars to a substantially larger amount.

Most standard insurance policies cover wind damage, but damage caused by hurricane wind has a separate deductible, Williams said. Depending on the area of the state, it can be anywhere from 2 percent to 5 percent of whatever the home is insured for. In Gainesville, the average deductible is about 2 percent of what the house is insured for.

Historically, the biggest damage Gainesville sees in the aftermath of storms and

hurricanes comes from wind, Williams said.

Nobody wants to nd out their insurance won’t cover the damage after their home is destroyed by a hurricane, or get sticker shock when the deduct-ible is higher than they think, Williams said.

“For the most part, be careful, and there are no surprises,” he said.

Rebuilding aft er a storm depends on many factors

DOUG FINGER/STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER/FILE

Workers clean up debris and cover roofs and broken windows in plastic following a storm inThe Villages on Feb. 2, 2007.

Power outagesIt’s not unusual to lose electric-

ity before, during or after a storm. Here are some tips:

Learn what each circuit ■

breaker in your home feeds so you can turn off sensitive pieces of equipment.

You may choose to turn off ■

your main circuit breakers. How-ever, when you turn your main circuit breaker back on, you will want to start with lighting circuits only.

Avoid contact with downed ■

lines; they may be live and can be deadly.

Report any outages to your ■

power company.Don’t call more than once. ■

Wait to report non-outage- ■

related incidents.After a storm, workers may ■

need to get to your home’s me-ter; be sure to clear that area.

Also, don’t approach workers ■

during the power restoration process; companies will devise a plan to get power restored as quickly as possible.

When the power is restored, ■

please leave an outside light on so crews know which houses are OK.

Also following a power ■

outage, unplug all large appli-ances and electronics to prevent power surges when electricity is restored.

Avoid candles and lanterns ■

because of fi re risk. Use fl ash-lights indoors.


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Tree removal services and roofers can help make a home storm-worthy. They might also be needed after a storm to repair any damaged roo ng or remove fallen trees and limbs.

Experts say there are certain tips that hom-eowners should follow to avoid getting taken advantage of before or after a storm.

Homeowners should make sure that trees near their house are trimmed because limbs can be turned into projectiles by heavy winds, said Dave Donnelly, emergency management director for Alachua County. Dead and decaying trees are especially dangerous, he said.

The Tree Care Industry Associations accredits tree removal businesses. A homeowner should ask to see these credentials before hiring. The associa-tion also recommends visiting www.treecaretips.org for information on how to choose a tree service.

For example, homeown-ers should ask for a written work proposal, which should read like a contract. The proposal should say that all work will be done according to the American National Standards Institute standards for tree care. It should also list the methods that will be used so homeowners will know what equipment will be used.

Amateur tree cutters might rip off a rainspout, break a fence or drop a limb on a car or house, according to the website.

A tree service asking for money up front is a red

ag, according to the website. A roofer might legitimately need money for materials, but hom-eowners should avoid tree service companies that ask for it.

The Better Business Bureau recommends checking with your insurance company about policy coverage and ling requirements well before a storm. A homeowner might need to fortify a roof before a storm, or have it repaired after one.

When hiring a tree service or a roofer, it’s best to look for someone with worker’s compensation insurance coverage, said Bob Nichols, of Perry Roo ng. If a worker is injured on a property without being insured, the owner could be liable.

Some roofers are bonded for additional insurance, making them preferable, he said. Always ask to see the insurance in writing, he added.

Just like roofers, the homeowner could be liable

if a worker for a tree service company is injured on the property. The treecaretips.org website suggests asking for a certi cate to prove the company has liability and worker’s compensation insurance.

The BBB keeps track of complaints led against any company that belongs to it. The BBB has multiple roo ng and tree services with an A+ rating.

Finding a reputable roofer is important, Nichols said. Bad work-manship on roofs makes the home more vulnerable, doing more harm than good.

The BBB recommends checking for references for both tree care services and roofers. Local refer-ences from recent custom-ers can help gage a company’s quality.

It also suggests explor-ing multiple options, getting a written contract, checking for permits and licenses and inspecting the work.

Protect yourself from tree, roof damage before and aft er storm

ROB C. WITZEL/STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER/FILE

Hawthorne resident David Bertuccelli cuts down a tree that fell from his property onto his neighbor’s home following the passing of Hurricane Jeanne in 2004.

Chain-saw safety tipsEach year, approximately 36,000 people are treated in

hospital emergency departments for injuries from using chain saws.

Operate, adjust and maintain the saw according to ■

manufacturer’s instructions provided in the instruction manual.

Properly sharpen chain-saw blades, and properly lubri- ■

cate the blade with bar and chain oil.Choose the proper size of chain saw to match the job, ■

and include safety features such as a chain brake, front and rear hand guards, stop switch, chain catcher and a spark arrester.

Wear the appropriate protective equipment, including ■

hard hat, safety glasses, hearing protection, heavy work gloves, cut-resistant legwear that extends from the waist to the top of the foot, and boots which cover the ankle.

Always cut at waist level or below to ensure you main- ■

tain control over the saw.


Halifax Media Services

Lessons learned 50 years ago could be used today to build hurricane-resistant houses, experts say.

That conclusion comes from research of houses built since the 1960s in the Paci c basin’s “Typhoon Alley,” which endure even Category 5 storms thanks to construction using reinforced concrete.

“The entire house becomes a storm shelter,” said structural engineer Kenneth Luttrell, of CYS Structural Engineers in Sacramento, California.

Such houses are also able to withstand strong tornadoes and the storm surge that often proves more deadly than a erce storm itself, he and other experts said.

“There is a belief that it is too costly and takes too much time to build a house to resist torna-does and earthquakes,” said Luttrell, though he adds such construction is now required in some earthquake zones.

Concrete-shell houses could pay off in Florida, too, engineers contend, and cost only slightly more than traditional construc-tion using standard materials.

The state is no stranger to the technique. Architect John Lambie, for instance, designed reinforced concrete houses for Paul Rudolph and other modern-ist architects in the 1950s in Southwest Florida.

But rather than use concrete as a primary material, Lambie used steel forms that proved to be labor-intensive and costly. As a result, the “Lamolithic” houses were not built after the 1960s.

Though many are still stand-

ing, they have not been tested by a strong hurricane for durability.

The houses in Guam and other parts of the Paci c basin have been. “Typhoon Alley” regularly experiences storms packing 200-mph winds.

Guam’s concrete-shell houses were developed after a devastat-ing 1962 typhoon that destroyed 90 percent of the residences on the island.

After declaring the U.S. territory a disaster area, President John F. Kennedy directed industrialist Henry Kaiser to help develop storm-resistant housing as part of a

relief package.Kaiser, in turn, hired structural

engineer Alfred Yee to design the prototypes that would become the rst reinforced houses there.

In 1993, the homes Yee and Kaiser developed withstood an earthquake recorded at 8.1 on the Richter scale.

While the houses could take a punch, they were not perfect: Their windows were often of poor quality, and they were not insulated, which turned them into broiling hothouses in the midday tropical sun. Though insulation was added to exteri-

ors years after they were completed, the homes remained uncomfortable in warm temper-atures.

In more recent times, the insulation issue has been recti ed by the use of insulated concrete forms, said Douglas Bennion of Quad-Lock Building Systems, in British Columbia.

In that technique, lightweight foam forms are stacked and reinforced steel bars are inserted into them. From there, concrete is poured into the cells that are created.

Insulated concrete forms are already being used in Florida.

Insulated concrete has another advantage, too: It can be pre-fabricated away from a construction site, reducing the overall cost to the homeowner.

Additionally, builders can pour such concrete into pre-made frames and install them in place using so-called “tilt-up” con-struction methods.

Despite the advantages and technological advances of recent years, few builders are constructing disaster-resistant houses in the U.S., said struc-tural engineer Cloyd “Joe” Warnes, a specialist in precast concrete construction.

That also is despite the fact that the reinforced houses also tend to resist ood damage and storm surge, which is elevated tide that is pushed ashore by high winds and low barometric pressure.

It is worse when it comes ashore during a normal high tide.

“Damage from heavy rain and storm surge is more than that from wind,” Warnes said.

Reinforced concrete houses are about 5 percent more expensive to build than conven-tional houses built to code minimums.

Warnes said that one reason reinforced concrete houses have failed to become popular with builders is that while they are more indestructible than typical houses, they are considered less attractive.

To remedy that and add curb appeal, architectural detailing can be added, the engineers said. If it is fastened properly, it, too, can survive a massive storm without becoming debris.

Reinforced homes can be costly, less attractive

HALIFAX MEDIA SERVICES

Built in 1959, this John Lambie “Lamolithic” house in the Sanderling Club on Siesta Key has been remodeled three times. Lambie used steel forms that proved to be labor-intensive and costly.


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Storm Guide for The Gainesville Sun - May 25, 2014