The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) has predicted an above-normal 2020 Atlantic hurricane season. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, it is even more important to be prepared: have supplies on hand, make a family emergency plan, prepare your home, and have complete information on evacuating and shelter options.
Many counties are making special arrangements for shelters such as expanding more locations due to COVID-19. You can contact your county or check with the American Red Cross to find information on shelters near you. In addition, some states have a Special Needs Registry that allows residents with special needs to register with their local emergency management agency to receive assistance during a disaster. If you register in Florida, you will receive information from local emergency management officials about evacuation and sheltering options available for you.
ASL Services, that provides American Sign Language interpreting services, has made a thorough video with information to prepare for the season. The video is of course interpreted in ASL and, associated with it, there is a downloadable pdf guide that includes an excellent preparedness checklist.
The video is divided into 5 parts:
Part 1 - Summary of general recommendations and advice on personal safety during the COVID-19 Pandemic.
Part 2 (time 5:35) - Important information about wind speeds & warnings and what to do as a hurricane is approaching (36, 18, 6 hours from arriving, during, and after)
Part 3 (time 33:54) - A checklist that helps get prepared for the season.
Part 4 (time 50:19) - What to do during a hurricane watch or warning, or a tornado.
Part 5 (time 55:57) - Safety resources and links.
ASL Services is located in Kissimmee, FL. They themselves have experienced several hurricanes, and they know of the importance of being prepared. We thank the ASL Services team for preparing this material for the community. Great job!
Sources:
- "Busy Atlantic hurricane season predicted for 2020." National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, May 21, 2020, https://www.noaa.gov/media-release/busy-atlantic-hurricane-season-predicted-for-2020
- "Florida Special Needs Registry". Florida Division of Emergency Management, https://snr.floridadisaster.org/Signin?ReturnUrl=%2f
- "Preparing for Hurricanes During the COVID-19 Pandemic." Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, https://www.cdc.gov/disasters/hurricanes/covid-19/prepare-for-hurricane.html
- "Hurricane Preparedness Guide." ASL Services, https://aslservices.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/06/Hurricane-Preparedness-Guide-2020-2.pdf
