All-Hazard Guide

In Pinellas County, we enjoy year-round sunshine and warm weather with abundant water surrounding us on three sides. But, living in paradise comes with its share of hazards.

Each year, from June 1 to Nov. 30, catastrophic hurricanes can develop within a matter of days with enough destructive wind and waves to put much of our peninsula underwater. During any season, severe thunderstorms, tornadoes, floods and other perils can strike any corner of our community.

Your county government works with municipal, state and federal partners to ensure residents and visitors are warned of life-threatening hazards; preparing for these dangers is everyone’s responsibility. In daily life, we all rely on basic services such as electricity, running water and safe roadways to access food, medical care and other necessities. Imagine living for days or even weeks without these essentials as emergency crews work to clean up after a hurricane or other disaster.

The risk of these hazards should not make you fearful about what could happen to you or your family. With a few basic preparations, you can be ready to survive any peril that may arise.

The remaining sections of the guide offer advice to get ready for specific natural and man-made hazards. On page 8, you’ll find a Family Disaster Plan . After you’ve answered the questions in this plan, you should be ready to face most of the hazards we may encounter here in Pinellas County. Share this guide with your family and neighbors as we work together to make Pinellas County a safe and resilient place to live, work and play.

View Entire All-Hazard Guide (Guide is printed in large format, when printing guide, please set printer to shrink to fit) En Español

Pages all in pdf format 2-4   5 Steps to Prepare for All Hazards 5   Hurricanes 6-7   Evacuation Zone Map and Shelter List 8   After the Storm / Family Disaster Plan 9   Thunderstorms / Tornadoes 10   Floods / Man-Made / Biological 11   Wildfires / Businesses 12   Special Needs / Kids 13   Boats / Bridges 14   Home Preparations 15   Important Contacts

Some hurricane key preparation steps include:

• Find your evacuation level here.

• Assemble a emergency survival kit that provides for your family’s needs for a minimum of one week and include your Family Disaster Plan .

• If you have to evacuate, find out now where you will be going should an order be issued.

• If you don’t have to evacuate, prepare shutters to protect your windows and brace your entry doors and garage door.

While the most active months of hurricane season are still to come, understand that a hurricane can spin up at any time. Check the weather forecast daily to stay on top of any tropical developments.