Citizens Urged to Prepare as Tropical Storm Michael Approaches

Two City sandbag sites opened today, Oct. 7. On Monday, Oct. 8, beginning at 10 a.m., the County will open additional locations. The full list of sand bag locations include:

County locations will be staffed, and all residents will need to bring their own shovel. Sand, bags and ties will be available for public use. Residents are asked to take no more than 20 bags (25 at City sites) so as to allow others to prepare. Staff will monitor the sites to replenish as needed.

 

To prepare for the impending storm, City departments, including the Tallahassee Police Department, Tallahassee Fire Department and Electric Utility, are making arrangements to ensure resources are available and in place to respond to issues as they develop. City vehicles and equipment are being fueled and checked for essential supplies, and contact is being made with mutual aid partners, should their assistance be required.

 

Utility customers are encouraged to update their contact information, ensuring that their phone numbers and email addresses are current. Should the storm hit the Capital City, important response and recovery messages will be sent out via these avenues. Contact information can be updated online at Talgov.com/Update .

 

In the event of an electrical outage, customers can report the issue at Talgov.com/Outage, through the DigiTally app or by calling 891-4968 (call wait times will be longer during major events).

 

Talquin Electric customers can report electric or water outages at www.talquinelectric.com or call 1-888-802-1832.

 

Plan now because when disaster strikes it is too late to prepare. Leon County and the City of Tallahassee encourage citizens to put disaster supplies in a waterproof and durable five-gallon bucket. Keep these essential items near an exit door in your home or in your vehicle. Some important items include a flashlight, medications, nonperishable food and water. You can see a full list of preparedness items at www.HaveAHurricanePlan.com/ . The 2018 Disaster Survival Guide can also be picked up at any Leon County public library or City of Tallahassee community center.

 

Once you and your family have a hurricane preparedness plan in place, check on your neighbors to ensure that they have one, too. Neighborhoods that prepare together create strong support networks that are vital to a speedy recovery. In the event of a major disaster, your neighbors will be your closest resource and support.

 

Also, while Leon County is not under any watch or warning at this time, it is important to know the difference between a hurricane watch and a hurricane warning. A hurricane watch is an announcement that hurricane conditions (sustained winds of 74 miles per hour or higher) are possible within a specified area. Watches are generally issued 48 hours in advance of a hurricane winds. A warning is that conditions are expected, and these are issued 36 hours in advance.

 

Prepare your home for strong winds by visually inspecting trees on your property for poor health and reduce the risk to your home by trimming hanging limbs. If you have any questions about your tree's health, contact a Certified Arborist to assist you.

 

Also, if you want to assist the Tallahassee-Leon County community in disaster sheltering and recovery, contact the Capital Chapter of the American Red by calling (850) 878-6080. Volunteer applications are available at RedCross.org .

 

Please prepare now before any watches or warnings are issued for Leon County. If you have any questions about how best to prepare, please call Leon County Emergency Management at (850) 606-3700.

 

For current information about local preparedness and response, please follow Twitter.com/COTNews or Twitter.com/LeonCounty .

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