Over the last few years, Jacksonville provide you the information you’ll

has been in the path of a major need to get you through the storm.
hurricane, causing heavy rains, Have your hurricane kit ready and
damaging winds and storm surge. stay connected to CBS47 and FOX30
Many families were left without power Action News Jax, on-air, on-line and
for days. As we showed you on on our First Alert weather app. And,
Action News Jax after Hurricane Irma, if you’re listening to the radio, turn to
some even had to be rescued from NEWS 104.5 WOKV for my constant
their homes. I can’t stress enough weather updates and the latest
how unpredictable weather can be information on the storm. We will
in North Florida. And while there’s a keep you safe and informed with a
science to forecasting a hurricane’s forecast you can depend on.
path, you can’t always forecast what
mother nature is going to do. A slight Don’t forget what’s happened over
change in the jet stream can cause the last few years. Now is not the time
a hurricane to alter its projected to be complacent about hurricane
path overnight, which is all the more season. Please be prepared and
reason why during hurricane season stay safe.
in Florida, you need to be prepared.

Take some time to go through our

2020 Hurricane Preparation Guide
so you can be better informed
and ready if a hurricane heads our
way. Inside, you’ll find the latest
evacuation routes; preparing your
home before and after a storm;
emergency contacts and phone
numbers; generator safety; and a
hurricane map.

Remember, the best thing you can

do before, during and after the storm
is to stay calm. We will be here to
 EMERGENCY
CONTACT NUMBERS
City of Jacksonville Nassau County Emergency
904.630.CITY (2489) Management
JEA 904.548.0900
904.665.6000 St Johns County Emergency
Management
FPL
904.824.5550
1-800-468-8243
Florida Emergency
Beaches Energy Services Information Hotline
904.247.6171 1-800-342-3557
Jacksonville Transit Authority Elder Services
904.630.3100 800.963.5337
Traffic Information Police or Fire Emergency
511 911
United Way of Northeast Florida Police Non-Emergency
211 904.630.0500
Salvation Army Disaster Assistance Insurance
904.356.8641 800.22storm
City of Jacksonville Emergency FEMA Assistance
Preparedness Division
800.621.3362
904.255.3110
Beaches Debris on Roads
Northeast Florida Red Cross
904.247.6278
904.358.8091
Florida Department of
Baker County Financial Services
Emergency Management
800.227.8676
904.259.6111
Clay County Emergency
Management
904.284.7703
 IMPORTANT
SUPPLY LIST
Remember to plan ahead and prepare • Disposable plates, glasses and
to have the following items as part of utensils.
your hurricane kit. • Pet food and medicine, if you have
pets
• Water – one gallon per person, per • Cell phone, including charger and
day for at least seven days. car charger
• Food – At least a seven-day supply • Cash (ATM’s may not work after
of nonperishable food and a can the storm)
opener for canned food. • Blanket
• Radio – Battery powered or hand • Sleeping bag
crank radio and a NOAA weather • Extra clothes
radio and extra batteries. • Soap and detergent
• ID, insurance policies, emergency • Sturdy shoes
plan, and a bank account records in • First aid kit
a sealed container. • Whistle
• Prescription medication (for seven • Sanitation and hygiene items
days) and eyeglasses. • Garbage bags and plastic ties
• Toilet paper • Copies of important documents
• Ice chest and ice
 KNOW THE HAZARDS
WATCH VS. WARNING
Watch vs. Warning Tropical Storm
The National Weather Service issues • Sustained winds of 39-73 mph
weather watches and warnings for the • Watch: Conditions possible within
protection of life and property. Here’s 48 hours
what they all mean. • Warning: Conditions expected within
36 hours
• A Watch means you must take caution
and be alert. Conditions are favorable Hurricane
for bad weather. Stay connected to • Sustained winds of 74 mph or
Action News Jax and WOKV on-air, on- greater
line, and on our First Alert • Watch: Conditions possible within
Weather App. 48 hours
• A Warning means get to safety and • Warning: Conditions expected within
get ready to take action. Bad Weather 36 hours
is imminent. Seek appropriate shelter
from the hazard. What to do when a Hurricane or
Tropical Storm Watch is Issued
Thunderstorms can develop all months • Fill your vehicle’s gas tank
of the year in Jacksonville, and are most • Get cash, secure papers and
frequent in late spring through early fall. valuables, and refill all necessary
All thunderstorms have potentially deadly medications.
lightning. When you can hear thunder, it’s • If you plan on evacuating, make final
time to go indoors. preparations to secure your home
so you can leave as soon as an
Severe Thunderstorm Warning is issued evacuation order is issued.
when a thunderstorm is expected to
produce large hail one inch in diameter
or greater and/or is expected to produce
dangerous wind gusts of 58 mph or
greater.
 PREPARING
YOUR PLAN
When you learn of a storm approaching, • Don’t tape windows; tape can create
it’s important that you take the time to daggers of glass and in the heat can
get ready. Below is a list of important later bake onto panes.
reminders that will help you prepare well • Remove swings and tarps from
before a storm hits. swing sets. Tie down anything you
can’t bring in. Check for loose rain
• Refill special medications. gutters, moldings.
• Get cash (ATMs may not work for days • Move grills, patio furniture and potted
after). Don’t charge credit cards to the plants into your house or garage.
limit; you might need extra cash after • If you do any last-minute pruning,
the storm. take clippings inside so they don’t
• Get supplies. become hazards in the wind.
• Don’t fill gasoline cans until right • Disconnect and remove satellite dish
before the storm; they’re a fire hazard. or antenna from your roof.
• Fill vehicle fuel tank. Gas stations could • Check your mailbox. If it’s loose,
run out and some will not have power secure or remove it.
to run pumps. • Remove any dead or hanging trees,
• Check your car’s battery, water and oil. limbs or branches.
• Make sure you have a spare tire and • Inspect your roof for loose tiles,
buy aerosol kits that fix and inflate flats. shingles or debris. Consider
• Check fire extinguishers. replacing old or damaged shingles
• If you own a boat, make with new ones rated for hurricane
necessary preparations. force winds.
• Prepare your pool. Don’t drain it. • Clear loose and clogged rain
• If you own a plane, have it flown out gutters and downspouts and adjust
or secured. downspouts so water drains away
• Get shutters, storm panels or plywood from the house.
in place on windows. If you haven’t • Reinforce garage doors and tracks or
installed sockets, attach with wood replace with a hurricane tested door.
screws; they’re better than nails and
do less damage.
 PREPARING
INSIDE THE HOUSE
Getting the inside of your home ready can • If you live in mobile home, you
be just as important as getting the outside should evacuate if a hurricane of any
of your home prepared. Include these strength is heading your way.
steps in your hurricane plan. • Move furniture away from windows
or cover with plastic.
• Seal key documents — including • Move as many valuables as possible
passports, wills, contracts, insurance off the floor to limit flooding damage.
papers, car titles, deeds, leases and • If possible, secure small, fragile and/
tax information — in zip plastic bags or valuable items that could
and get into a protected, dry place, be thrown around if winds enter
such as a safe-deposit box or your home.
home safe. • If you live in a hurricane evacuation
• Monitor the news zone, you must evacuate if an order
• Set the refrigerator to its coldest is given. Please see evacuation zone
setting in anticipation of the maps (if available) to find out which
power failing. areas must evacuate for Category 1
• Fill the bathtub. It may be your main or 2 hurricanes and which must leave
supply of water. for Category 3 or higher storms.
• Stock heavy-duty garbage bags for • Your first choice should be to stay
post-storm home and yard cleanup. with a friend or family member who
• Check flashlight and radio batteries is living close by but is not in a flood-
and have extras on hand. vulnerable area.
• Charge rechargeable cellphones, • If you plan to leave, start packing.
drills, power screwdrivers, flashlights, Don’t wait until the storm is almost
lanterns and batteries. here to get on the road.
• Make sure you have enough toilet
paper to last until you can safely get to
the store again.
 HURRICANE SHUTTERS:
WHAT’S BEST FOR YOUR HOME
You have a number of choices to protect regarding the speed of installation.
your windows during a storm. One Made of aluminum, they are also good
thing you should never do is tape your for sliding glass doors and large patio
windows. Below is a list of the different openings. Costs are approximately
types of hurricane shutters. $13 to $16 per square foot.

Removable Panels Roll-up shutters

These are made of steel, aluminum or These attach above the window.
clear polycarbonate. They attach to the They roll up and down and store in an
house with anchors or tracks. Using tracks enclosed box when not in use. These
makes the assembly much quicker. After are the easiest and quickest window
plywood, these are the least expensive covering. Some even have motion
window covering to install at about $5 sensors that automatically close when
to $12 per square foot, plus the cost of winds reach a certain speed. For these
hardware. reasons, these are quite costly at $35 to
$50 per square foot.
Colonial shutters, Bahama Awnings
These are two and one-piece louvered Plywood coverings
shutters that remain attached to the house Most homes built since 1997 came
when not in use. These are convenient with storm panels or other coverings.
because they stay mounted all year long If your home is older and storm panels
and you only need to fold them in to the or shutters are out of your price range,
window before a storm. Costs run about consider plywood. There’s prep time in
$35 to $50 per square foot. that you have to cut the plywood to fit
and it can be bulky and time consuming
Accordion Shutters to install. Cost is about $19 to $23 per
These one or two-piece shutters are 4-by-8 foot sheet of 5/8 inch thick
housed beside the window or door when CDX plywood.
not in use. These are the strongest and
permanent as well as the most convenient
 PACKING UP
THE KITCHEN
Some items to consider when you’re • Heavy-duty plastic garbage
planning to ride the storm out at home. cans with lids: Can be used for
water storage, packing foods,
• Heavy-duty plastic bags: “Contractor packing valuables—or storing trash.
bags” are the strongest ones out • Extra coolers: Buy metal ones with
there, and are available at home foam/plastic inserts for maximum
warehouse stores and Publix. These cooling (see ship’s stores or online
hold sticks and bricks without tearing; sources). Buy large Igloo-type
good for packing boxes of food, coolers that can stack and are on
countertop appliances, and things with wheels. Buy foam ones to have on
sharp corners. They come in 30- and hand, but note these are not meant
50-gallon sizes. (They can be split for long-term ice storage. Consider
apart and used as thick plastic tarps for investing in a small cooler that plugs
countertops or protecting big items.) into the cigarette lighter of the car, or
• Permanent markers: Use them to a mini-fridge to plug into a generator.
label jars and cans that might lose their • Waterproof storage bins: Flooding
labels in high humidity or floods. Write during a storm can be more of
contents of cans on their bottoms or a problem than winds. Packing
tops and date them; label plastic bags everything in plastic, waterproof
or bins to identify items packed within. bins can save the items. For already
• Food-sized storage bags or opened foods, use bins with airtight
containers: Empty all open packages seals. Use large, clean garbage cans
of foods into these airtight bags or bins for additional storage.
to keep them fresh.
• Extra water jugs: Preferably 2.5
gallons or larger. Buy the biggest size
your freezer will hold.
 IF YOU DECIDE TO
EVACUATE
Depending on where you live, Knowing your evacuation zone and
evacuation may be required. If you route is critical to your safety. It allows
decide to evacuate your home, here’s you to evacuate when the time comes.
what you need to know. Be sure to understand the risks
associated with hurricanes and follow
When an evacuation is ordered, I-95 and the instructions from local emergency
I-10 will be used to take you away from preparedness officials.
the storm. Beach residents and visitors
can use Wonderwood Expressway, Plan your evacuation route ahead
Atlantic Blvd., Beach Blvd., and J. of time and leave early. The primary
Turner Butler Blvd., toward I-95 and I-10. evacuation routes may be crowded.
Evacuation routes will be crowded as Have cash and a full tank of gas
individuals from neighboring counties before leaving. Don’t forget to bring
will be traveling through the area. your emergency supply kit with you
Prepare to leave early. when evacuating.
 SHELTER
INFORMATION
The City of Jacksonville Emergency Shelters are generally open to
Preparedness Division will announce the everyone and filled on a first come,
opening of shelters through television, first served basis. Residents are
radio, and social media. Shelters are expected to bring their own supplies.
intended to be last resorts for residents Shelters provide a refuge of last
living in an evacuation zone, mobile resort for those individuals who need
home, or unsafe structure. Residents to evacuate and are unable to make
are expected to bring their emergency their own arrangements, such as
supply kit to the shelter, including staying with family, friends, or in a hotel
sleeping bags and pillows. If you decide outside the evacuation zone.
to go to a shelter, secure your home, Pet friendly shelters provide shelter to
and if time permits, eat something people and their pets. Only household
before leaving. There is very little pets are allowed. Reptiles will not
privacy in a shelter, and the conditions be accepted at shelters. Pets will be
can be crowded. Prepare to stay at the secured in a separate area within the
shelter until the storm passes. shelter. Owners are required to care
for their pets.
 EVACUATING
PETS
Do not leave pets at home, especially
Include pictures of the pet with you
if you live in an evacuation area. Even
to help with any challenge to your
if they survive the storm, they might
ownership. Take photos with your
flee a damaged home and be lost in
cellphone so they’re stored there
the chaos.
as well.
It might be difficult, if not impossible, to
find shelter for your animals in the midst Pet Disaster Kit:
of a disaster, so plan ahead. • Medications and medical records
(in a waterproof container)
Keep a list of “pet-friendly” places,
• Leash
including phone numbers, with other
• Collar or harness for each pet
disaster information. For an impending
• Non-spill food and water dishes
storm, call ahead for reservations. The
• 14-day supply of food, water in
web site petswelcome.com maintains a
nonbreakable containers
list of hotels that accept pets.
• Manual can opener
Take clear, color photos (frontal, left • Grooming supplies
and right sides) of you with your pet, • Pet’s blanket and favorite toy
and store these with your pet’s license, • Cleanser and disinfectant to
medical records and ownership papers handle waste
in a waterproof carrier to take with you. • Newspapers or litter, paper towels
and plastic bags
 GENERATOR
SAFETY
During and after a hurricane, it’s • Let the generator warm up before
very common that many of us will be turning the circuit breaker back on.
without power due to widespread • You will also need multiple, vented
power outages. If you’re going to use gas containers for storing gasoline.
a generator, please read the operating Five gallons of gas will power a
instructions carefully. The risk is high 5,600-watt generator for about
for carbon monoxide poisoning, eight hours.
electrocution, fire and explosion. • Never overfill with gas.
• Never use the generator with
• Operate the generator outside in a wet hands.
well-ventilated area. Place on a firm, • Never let water come in contact
dry and level surface. with the generator.
• Connect a heavy duty, outdoor rated • Never run your generator in the
power cord to the generator, or garage or inside your home. The
connect appliances directly to the carbon monoxide exhaust is toxic.
generator. • Never feed the power from your
• Turn the generator circuit breaker off. generator into a wall outlet. This
• Turn the power switch to the on can kill lineman working to restore
position then pull the cord. power. It can also damage
your generator.
What to do when a Hurricane or Tropical Final Actions if Staying
Storm Warning is issued • Bring all patio furniture and loose
• Make final actions if leaving. items inside.
• Turn off propane tanks. • Close storm shutters, board up
• Unplug small appliances. remaining doors and windows, and
• Empty the refrigerator and freezer. brace garage doors. Do not use tape
• Turn off all the circuit breakers on the on windows.
main electric panel in your house if • Lower water level of pool by one foot.
advised to do so. • Turn refrigerator or freezer to coldest
• Turn off your home’s main water valve setting and open only if necessary.
at the street. • Be prepared to turn off utilities.
• Secure all doors on your property. • Identify a safe room such as an interior
Garage doors are must vulnerable. bathroom with no windows
• Notify your relatives of your plans to or a closet.
leave and where you will be going. • Clean your bathtub and fill it with water
• Leave an outside light on so utility in case water services are
workers and emergency responders cut off.
can tell if the power is on.