Florida officials prepare for evacuation as hurricane season approaches

Even though the Atlantic and Gulf coasts are considered high-risk areas for hurricanes, the Tampa Bay area in Florida has been lucky so far. Except for a few problems due to tropical storms, the region has not witnessed any disastrous damage due to hurricanes for the past seven years. But Florida officials are not relying on their good fortune. Emergency managers from Hernando, Hillsborough, Pasco, and Pinellas counties are busy preparing evacuation plans for the hurricane season starting June 1.

Residents reluctant to evacuate

Evacuating people is easier said than done. According to Tampa Bay Times, recent studies show that residents evacuate only when they fear for their lives. Otherwise, they choose to ignore warnings. Some of the reasons why people do not take evacuation orders seriously are:

They are afraid of looters
Non-availability of transportation
They think the storm will be mild
They fear for the safety of their pets

How Hillsborough emergency managers do their job

Emergency managers are tasked with getting residents to follow a hurricane evacuation order. Emergency officials in Hillsborough use media outlets and social networks like Twitter to inform residents about the danger.

Hillsborough emergency manager Preston Cook said, “You can’t sit stagnant. We’re the busiest when it’s not hurricane season.”

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Emergency management in other Florida counties

The other counties follow similar practices. Emergency officials in Pinellas update their evacuation plans, procedures, and maps regularly, based on what they learn from hurricanes in other areas. Hurricane Sandy, which hit the American shores in 2012, clearly spelled out the need to take evacuation warnings seriously. 125 people died in that storm.

Hernando County emergency management director Patella said, “Some residents will not evacuate without their pets, and we are prepared to accommodate at the pet shelter within reason.”

Pasco’s emergency director Annette Doying said the county pools resources like police and fire agencies to set up important resources for hospitals and other emergency response units.