With the 2025 hurricane season looming on the horizon, set to commence next Sunday, Pinellas County Emergency Management is leaving no stone unturned in its efforts to ensure residents are prepped and primed for what may come, they are disseminating triple-tiered guidance aimed at enhancing safety: comprehend your risk, carve out a plan, and keep a vigilant ear to the ground for updates.
Central to their advice, as gleaned from their latest announcement, is the importance of assessing personal risk to storm surges, notorious as the most perilous element in hurricanes, homeowners and renters alike are urged to verify their evacuation zones through various channels including the county’s disaster portal, the Ready Pinellas mobile application, and by reaching out directly to the emergency management division at (727) 464-3800.
The call to action doesn't end with storm surges; it extends to potential risks involving excessive rainfall and wind, with a recommendation to scrutinize regional flood maps for a more comprehensive risk assessment. Special attention is called to populations with heightened vulnerability, such as residents of mobile homes, individuals reliant on electrical medical equipment, and pet owners, who are all advised to be particularly assiduous in their evacuation schemes.
Assembling a hurricane readiness kit is not a matter to be dallied with, Pinellas County Emergency Management enunciates that a checklist is readily available on their website, and the 2025 Pinellas County Hurricane Guide can be obtained online or picked up at various public buildings, including libraries and the Lealman Exchange, equally as important for boat owners, learning how to safeguard their vessels from hurricane threats is an imperative, with resources and instructions provided online.
For those thirsting after up-to-the-minute updates, trusted sources are the wellspring of information, Pinellas County recommends dialing into local government social media outlets such as Facebook and Twitter, tuning into favorite news channels, and signing up for Alert Pinellas notifications, adding to the array of options is the Ready Pinellas app, which can be downloaded for both Apple and Android users, and the ownership of a NOAA weather radio is emphasized as another layer of preparedness.
Additionally, to underscore the importance of being hurricane-ready, the Pinellas County in partnership with the City of St. Petersburg is hosting a Hurricane Preparedness Day expo on Saturday, a free event aimed at providing vital information and resources, it will be held at the Willis S. Johns Recreation Center and is designed to engage the entire family. Lastly, sandbag distribution dates have been slated for June 13-14, at various parks throughout the county, with details specified on the county’s emergency management website.
