Print

Email story

Comment

Email editor

Hurricane workshop has tips for you

Organizers of the June 7 event in Dunedin hope to reach out to a broader section of county residents.

By VANESSA DE LA TORRE
Published May 31, 2006

DUNEDIN - Don't get blown away!

So says Dunedin's Committee on Aging, which is holding a public hurricane workshop next week with speakers spouting preparedness tips, and all driving home this timely refrain: Put together your evacuation and survival plan now.

Organizers said their seminar last year was well-attended, but mostly Dunedin residents came, and the questions that were asked made them wonder how many others in Pinellas County had misconceptions about the storm season.

"People think it helps to tape their windows," said Gregg Svendgard, program coordinator at the Hale Senior Activity Center, which will host the evening workshop on June 7.

It doesn't.

"We're trying to get it to a broader section of people this time," Svendgard said. "Seniors, of course, but amp it up."

Presenters scheduled to speak at the workshop are Mace Michaels, a NewsChannel 8 meteorologist; David MacNamee, a Pinellas County Emergency Management coordinator; Ken Carson of Knology Park Pet Shelter; Mark Hendrickson of the American Red Cross; and Progress Energy representatives.

Other topics to be discussed include special needs shelters for the elderly and disabled, where to get information during a power outage, pet shelters, and electric utilities before, during and after a storm. Residents are encouraged to come with questions.

Until then, an eight-page storm preparation guide has been posted on the city's Web site, www.dunedingov.com

Looking for flood safety tips? Here's a sampling:

Do not walk through flowing water. Currents can be deceptive, and even trudging through 6 inches of moving water can knock someone off balance.

Have your electricity turned off. Some appliances, like a television set, may keep an electrical charge even after they have been unplugged. And appliances or motors that have gotten wet need to be taken apart, cleaned and dried before being used again.

Be alert for gas leaks. Inspect damage using a flashlight. Avoid smoking, lighting candles, lanterns and generally sparking any open flames unless you're certain the gas has been turned off. Make sure the area has been well-ventilated, too.

Those interested in the workshop are asked to RSVP by Monday at (727) 298-3299. The hearing impaired can call (727) 298-3010 for an interpreter.

Refreshments will be served and organizers want an estimate of how many will attend. Already, about 100 people have signed up.

"Who knows with the amount of storms we had last year, when ours will come," said Svendgard, the Hale Center program coordinator. "It's good to be ready."

A storm-preparedness seminar is planned for Wednesday, June 7, from 6 to 8 p.m., at the William E. Hale Senior Activity Center, 330 Douglas Ave., Dunedin. Speakers will include NewsChannel 8 meteorologist Mace Michaels, Pinellas County Emergency Management coordinator David MacNamee and representatives from Progress Energy, Knology Park Pet Shelter and the American Red Cross.

[Last modified May 31, 2006, 01:58:10]