Hurricane Season is here. Stay prepared and informed.

It is officially hurricane season! It is extremely important to stay prepared and informed during this time of year. Our Children’s Home Society of Florida Hurricane Preparedness webpage has key information available to you at all times. Below you will find some key reminders for you and your family.

Identify important contacts and keep them accessible:
- Keep important contact written down and available, including your children’s school/afterschool care, doctor, pharmacy, and out-of-state contact. The Family Preparedness Wallet Card is a quick place to keep all of these numbers together, and each member of the family can carry them in case they are not together when an event occurs.
Make an emergency supply kit:
- Have enough water, food, and other emergency supplies for at least 3 days and medications for at least 7 days.
Make a family emergency plan:
- Know your community’s evacuation routes, your children’s school’s disaster plan, safe places in your home to shelter in place, and other parts of an emergency plan.
- Visit here for your latest evacuation information.
- Visit here for statewide evacuation information and local management information
Talk with children about hurricane season and include them in the preparedness steps:
- It is important that your kids know the seriousness of a hurricane. They may be scared and worried so teaching them what can happen before and after a storm will help prepare them so they feel more comfortable when storms approach.
Prepare for long evacuations and limited access to the outdoors:
- Keeping children engaged in activities can help pass the time and reduce feelings of worry and anxiety.
Prepare for flooding as well as tornadoes:
- In addition to high winds, tropical storms and hurricanes can also carry the risk of extreme flooding and tornadoes. To prepare, identify a safe place in the home where everyone can take shelter and practice using it. Be sure to also develop at least two evacuation routes in case your safest option is to leave. For additional resources on preparing for and responding to flooding and tornadoes, go to www.ready.gov.
Know what to do before, during and after the storm. We have shared a snippet of information on each of these times and it is important to and read more in the links provided below.
- Before: During a hurricane watch(24-48 hours to landfall), all CHS facilities will be secured and any final preparation will be completed. Emergency supplies, food and water are to be distributed to residential programs as needed at this time. Continue reading here.
- During: During a hurricane warning (12-24 hours to landfall), residential team members will prepare clients to stay in facilities or evacuate a facility as appropriate. Team members will assist in preparation activities as directed or needed. Continue reading here.
- After: Immediately following the storm, team members will verify that all residential clients and team members are safe and secure and as soon as it is safe to do so will begin damage assessment. Continue reading here.