Emergency Management targets preparedness during hurricane season Published June 1, 2015 482nd Fighter Wing Public Affairs HOMESTEAD AIR RESERVE BASE, Fla. -- June is the start of hurricane season, and members of Homestead Air Reserve Base have a wealth of resources to use for hurricane preparedness. For personnel who are new to the South Florida area, the 482nd Mission Support Group Emergency Management office is a great resource for preparedness throughout the hurricane season that runs until Nov. 30, 2015. "The more information you have about local storms and conditions, the better prepared you will be before, during and after storms or accidents," said Kevin Rodgers, 482nd MSG Emergency Management specialist. "I would highly recommend contacting our office for information on preparedness. We have collected the data and can provide it as requested." The Emergency Management office can be contacted at: kevin.rodgers.4@us.af.mil or 786-415-7342. In summary, the 2014 season consisted of 9 named storms, 6 hurricanes, and 2 major hurricanes (Edouard and Gonzalo). This closely matches the forecast for 2015 as a below-average hurricane season. The last hurricane to directly impact Florida was hurricane Wilma in October 2005, according to Jon George, HARB Weather Operations Manager. "People shouldn't assume that a below-average tropical outlook means decreased risk of a major hurricane," George advised. "1992 was a below-average hurricane season. The entirety of the season consisted of 7 named storms, 4 hurricanes, and 1 major hurricane; below even our forecast for 2015. No one in Homestead would consider 1992 to be a below-average season in hindsight." The Weather Operations team works very closely with the National Hurricane Center and Air Force Weather when there is a storm anywhere remotely near Homestead, and that their collective forecasting ability and accuracy improves yearly. "The base weather station will issue planning slides every 6 hours if there is a storm within 750 miles that may track towards the local area," explained George. "If there are any commanders on the base that aren't sure if they're on the list, I will add them if they send me an email at: jonathon.george.2.ctr@us.af.mil." The Emergency Management office recommends the following websites for local, state and national levels hurricane information. Miami-Dade County Office of Emergency Management (MDFR-OEM): http://www.miamidade.gov/fire/emergency-management.asp https://www.facebook.com/MiamiDadeCountyEM Florida Division of Emergency Management: http://www.floridadisaster.org/ http://www.floridadisaster.org/internet_library.htm Federal Emergency Management Agency: http://www.ready.gov/ U.S. Air Force: http://www.beready.af.mil/ In the event of an evacuation, the Miami-Dade County Office of Emergency Management has developed a map which shows the evacuation zones for the county. This map has been developed using the flood/surge data. Miami-Dade Evacuation Zones: http://www.miamidade.gov/fire/evacuations.asp http://www.miamidade.gov/fire/library/OEM/evacuation-zone-map-2013.pdf Miami-Dade Flood Zone Maps: http://www.miamidade.gov/publicworks/flooding-maps.asp http://www.miamidade.gov/publicworks/library/brochures/flood-zones.pdf Emergency Management Preparedness tips: - Have a kit for 72 hours sustainability. Items to include in your kit: clothing, medicine, cash, flashlight, water and food. - Suggested tips to help develop your evacuation plan: -- Pack your kit and leave as early as you can to avoid traffic. -- If you are staying in the local area, make sure it's safe and verify you can stay there before the storm hits. -- Prepare your home: Don't leave anything outdoors, where it could become a danger to others when the winds arrive. -- Cover the windows so that they don't shatter in the storm and send flying debris into your home. -- If you live in a flood zone, try moving belongings to the second floor to protect them from water damage. - Also, don't forget to log into AFPAAS (https://afpaas.af.mil/ or 1-800-435-9941 and let the Air Force know your status. You can also access assistance services through AFPAAS if you need them.