As often as we may joke about the instability of Florida weather, many Calhoun County residents also know that there are times when the weather is no laughing matter. Florida has been host to many natural disasters, including: tropical depressions, tropical storms, hurricanes, wildfires, and floods. Some of which have left a trail of destruction that has taken years to fully recover from, and each taking a toll on our residents and our community. Through experience, we have learned that the better prepared we are when disaster strikes, the better we are able to cope during the recovery process.
When dealing with disasters, Angie Smith and Adam Johnson of Calhoun County Emergency Management (CCEM) want to remind us of the importance of having a disaster kit on hand, and having an evacuation plan in place. You can visit
www.floridadisaster.org to find a list of items you should have in your disaster kit, as well as instructions on making a plan. In addition, residents are urged to tune in and stay informed. To assist with relaying emergency information to residents quickly, CCEM has made the AlertCalhoun system available. By visiting
www.CalhounFlorida.org residents can sign up to receive local Emergency Notification Alerts by phone, texts, e-mails, or the EverBridge app. You can also create custom emergency plans and register residents that have special needs and require special care in the event of an emergency. AlertCalhoun also allows residents to customize the types of alerts they receive, such as road closures, missing persons, severe weather, and shelter openings.
Although there are designated shelter locations within the county, CCEM wants to remind residents that sheltering with family and/or friends that have well-constructed homes should be your first choice when possible. Here are some points CCEM wants each resident to become familiar with in regards to our emergency shelters:
Shelters are opened on an "as-needed" basis
• Although local and state authorities have identified wind-rated public facilities that can be opened for emergency shelter, a public shelter should be your last choice of refuge - they are often crowded, noisy, and uncomfortable, with no privacy and scarce resources.
• Never go to a shelter unless local officials have announced it opened.
• Shelter openings will vary with each emergency.
• Residents with Special Needs should register and annually update the Special Needs Registry.
• While official service animals are welcome in all public shelters, pet friendly and "comfort/support animal" shelters are not available in Calhoun County.
• Current shelter information will be available from local radio and television stations, and Calhoun County Emergency Management.
• For more information on Special Needs Shelters or other questions contact Calhoun County Emergency Management at (850) 674-8075 or visit
www.CalhounFlorida.org
There are 3 state designated shelter locations in Calhoun County, including Altha High School, Blountstown High School, and Mossy Pond Community Center. According to Marilyn Russell, Director of Calhoun County Senior Citizens Association, “The senior center has been reinforced by the county in order to serve residents with special needs in the event of an emergency as well. Our windows, doors, and backup generator allow Hwyus to provide a safe place for our elderly clients and others with special needs to continue receiving the care they need.”
The staff at Calhoun County Emergency Management and numerous others have gone to great lengths to make sure the residents of Calhoun County are able to prepare when disaster strikes, and continue to work diligently to ensure proper safeguards are in place.
